. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . rally upon alow bush, very rudely constructed, in which they deposit two eggs,which are pure white. The Oyster-catchers (Zfe;;2«/(?/z/j-) are characterised by a long,pointed, and powerful bill, which they use like a pair of pincers for 34^ REPTILES AND BIRDS. opening oysters, mussels, and other shell-fish left on the shore by thereceding tide. Few things are more interesting than to see themhovering over the retiring water, alternately advancing and retreatingw
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . rally upon alow bush, very rudely constructed, in which they deposit two eggs,which are pure white. The Oyster-catchers (Zfe;;2«/(?/z/j-) are characterised by a long,pointed, and powerful bill, which they use like a pair of pincers for 34^ REPTILES AND BIRDS. opening oysters, mussels, and other shell-fish left on the shore by thereceding tide. Few things are more interesting than to see themhovering over the retiring water, alternately advancing and retreatingwith the waves. As their toes are united at the base by a web ormembrane, they possess the power of resting on the water, althoughthey do not actually swim. This they make use of by allowing them-selves every now and then to be carried to some distance from theshore by the receding wav^es. They fly well, and can run with thegreatest ease. Numerous flocks of them are found on almost everysea-coast on the globe, making the neighbourhood re-echo with theirshrill cries. In the breeding season they pair ofl; the female birds lay from. Common Oyster-catcher. two to four eggs, either in holes carelessly scratched out on the strand,in clefts of the rocks, or even sometimes in meadows. They assemble in considerable flocks for the purpose of migration,—if that term may be applied to the short j ourneys which they annuallyundertake. There are three or four species of this family, only one of which,our Common Oyster-catcher {HcEmatopus ostralegtts^ Fig. 138), is anative of Europe. The plumage of the latter is white and black,which, joined to its noisy habits, has obtained for it the nickname ofSea Magpie. Its bill and feet are of a beautiful red colour; hencethe name of Hcematopiis (feet the colour of blood) was given byLinnaeus to the whole genus, w^hen the other varieties of it were yetunknown. It is found at all seasons on most of our coasts. As anarticle of food it is not at all desi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectrep
