. Cassell's natural history . ticularly ill-adapted for swimming, as the toes are \ery short and stiff in proportionto the size of the bird. Most of the waders, when shot above the water and winged, Avillswim for a short distance, but generally with difficulty ; none of them, however, exceptingthis bird, attempt to dive. When in captivity the oyster-catcher eats almost anything that is offered to its brilliant black and white plumage and red bill, as well as from its utility indestroying slugs and snails in th2 garden, where it searches for them witli unceasingactivity, it is both orna
. Cassell's natural history . ticularly ill-adapted for swimming, as the toes are \ery short and stiff in proportionto the size of the bird. Most of the waders, when shot above the water and winged, Avillswim for a short distance, but generally with difficulty ; none of them, however, exceptingthis bird, attempt to dive. When in captivity the oyster-catcher eats almost anything that is offered to its brilliant black and white plumage and red bill, as well as from its utility indestroying slugs and snails in th2 garden, where it searches for them witli unceasingactivity, it is both ornamental and useful, and worthy of being oftener kept for this pur-pose where a garden is surrounded by walls; it will, if taken young, remain with greatcontentment with poultry without being confined. I liave found its nest in differentlocalities, sometimes on the stones and sometimes on the sand close to high-water mark,and very often on the small islands and points of land about the river. • Htcmatopus OstrQlofpis.— THE AVOCET. The Avocet, so singular in its appearance, is not destitute of beauty, its beui<, wliiulihas been compared to a thin piece of elastic whalebone, and its feet, attracting particularattention. This bird, says Mr. Yarrell, is ajjparently more rare now than Thomas Brown says they were not uncommon in his time in the marshy lands ofNorfolk ; and some years ago I was told that more than twenty specimens were receivedat Leadenhall Market for sale within one month; but now scarcely an example appearsonce in a year : the last I heard of was in the spring of 1837. 3Ir. Markwick, in his Catalogue of the Birds of Sussex, printed in 1795, states, thatthe avocet is not uncommon on that sea-coast in summer, but he does not recollecthaving seen it in winter. That it breeds here, he remarks, I have been an eye-witness ; for I remember that, several years ago, I found in the marshes near Rye ayoung one of this species, which appeared to have bee
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1854
