108 THE PIED OYSTER-CATCHER. 
Latham observes, that the young are said to he hatched in 
about three weeks ; and though they are wild when in flocks, 
yet are easily brought up tame, if taken young. “ I have 
known them,” says he, u to be thus kept for a long time, 
frequenting the ponds and ditches during the day, attending 
the ducks and other poultry to shelter of nights, and 
not unfrequently to come up of themselves as evening 
approaches.” 
The female sits on her eggs only during the night, or in 
remarkably cold and rainy weather ; at other times the heat 
of the sun and of the sand, which is sometimes great, 
renders incubation unnecessary. But although this is the 
case, she is not deficient in care or affection. She watches 
the spot with an attachment, anxiety, and perseverance, that 
are really surprising, till the time arrives when her little 
offspring burst their prisons, and follow the guiding voice 
of their mother. When there is appearance of danger, they 
squat on the sand, from which they are with difficulty 
distinguished, while the parents make large circuits around 
the intruder, alighting sometimes on this hand, sometimes 
on that, uttering repeated cries, and practising the common 
affectionate stratagem of counterfeited lameness, to allure 
him from their young. 
ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES. 
Some time ago (says Mr. Wilson) I received a stuffed 
specimen of the Oyster-Catcher, from a gentleman of Boston, 
