the sand.

[Illustration 171: Creamy.]
[Illustration: Turnstone.]
[Illustration: deco.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 170

284. BLACK TURNSTONE. _Arenaria melanocephala._

Range.--Pacific coast of North America, breeding from British Columbia
northward, and wintering south to Lower California.

This species, which has the form and habits of the preceding, is
blackish above and on the breast; the rump and the base of the tail are
white, being separated from each other by the black tail coverts. Their
nesting habits are in no wise different from those of the common
turnstone. The eggs are similar, but the markings are not so strikingly
arranged. Size 1.60 x 1.10. Data.--Kutlik, Alaska, June 21, 1898. Nest
simply a depression in the sand on the sea beach.

OYSTER-CATCHERS. Family HAEMATOPODIDAE

285. EUROPEAN OYSTER-CATCHER. _Haematopus frazari._

This European species is very similar to the American one which follows.
It casually occurs in Greenland.

286. OYSTER-CATCHER. _Haematopus palliatus._

Range.--Breeds on the coast of the South Atlantic States and Lower
California and winters south to Patagonia. Oyster-catchers are

large, heavy-bodied birds, with stocky red legs and long, stout red
bills. The present species has the whole upper parts and entire head and
neck, blackish; underparts and ends of secondaries, white; length, 19
inches. They are abundant breeding birds on the sandy beaches of the
South Atlantic States, and casually wander north to Nova Scotia. They
lay their two or three eggs on the ground in slight hollows scooped out
of the sand. The eggs are of a buffy or brownish buff color, and are
irregularly spotted with blackish brown, with subdued markings of
lavender. Size 2.20 x 1.50. Data.--Sandy Point, S. C., May 12, 1902.
Three eggs on the sand just above high water mark; nest a mere
depression on a small "sand dune" lined with pieces of shells.

[Illustration 172: Grayish.]
[Illustration: American Oyster-catcher.]
[Illustration: Buff.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 171

286.1. Frazar's Oyster-catcher. _Haematopus bachmani._

Range.--Lower California.

This species is darker on the back than the preceding, and the breast is
mottled with dusky. Bill very long, heavy, compressed, and thin and
chisel-like at the tip.

Bill and eyes red; legs flesh color; under parts white, and a white wing
bar. These are large, awkward looking birds. It is not an uncommon wad