. A history of the game birds, wild-fowl and shore birds of Massachusetts and adjacent states : including those used for food which have disappeared since the settlement of the country, and those which are now hunted for food or sport, with observations on their former abundance and recent decrease in numbers; also the means for conserving those still in existence . ater like a little feeds on the spawn of the great crab, known locally as thehorsefoot or horseshoe; also on insects, worms and small crusta-ceans. Audubon noticed that in northern Florida the Turnstonefed on the oyster beds
. A history of the game birds, wild-fowl and shore birds of Massachusetts and adjacent states : including those used for food which have disappeared since the settlement of the country, and those which are now hunted for food or sport, with observations on their former abundance and recent decrease in numbers; also the means for conserving those still in existence . ater like a little feeds on the spawn of the great crab, known locally as thehorsefoot or horseshoe; also on insects, worms and small crusta-ceans. Audubon noticed that in northern Florida the Turnstonefed on the oyster beds at low tide, picking at oysters that hadbeen killed by the heat of the sun; also breaking the shells ofsmall, thin-shelled bivalves. Oyster-catchers. The Oyster-catchers (family Hcematoyodida;) may be knownat once by their large size, striking appearance and the pe-culiarly shaped bill, which is about twice as long as the head,much compressed or flattened on the sides, cut off at the endlike the blade of a screwdriver, sharp edged and contracted atthe nostrils. It is a very efficient weapon for opening the shellsof bivalve mollusks or prying barnacles off the rocks. Eachtoe has a narrow membrane on each side, and the middle andouter ones are connected by a web toward the base. 362 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. OYSTER-CATCHER {Hcsmatopus palliatus).. Length. — 17 to 21 inches; bill 3 to 4; no hind toe, outer and middle toesslightly webbed. Adult. — Head and neck black; back, wings and end of tail dark brown;rump, broad wing bands, base of tail and under parts white; bill ver-milion, long, stout, compressed toward tip; feet, legs and eyelids pale red. Young. — Head and neck more brown than black; feathers of upper partsmore or less edged with buff, bill dull rather than bright. Notes. — A loud shrill whistling, loheep — loheep — roheo (Wilson). Nest. — A mere depression in marsh or beach. Eggs. —■ Two or three, about by , bluish white or buff,
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Keywords: ., bookauthorjobherbe, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1912
