SHA-BIRDS. 221

after its food, or proceeds along the shore. It can
swim exceedingly well. |
«© And what are they, who roam the shore

Alert on active foot; explore

With wedge-like bill the oyster-shell ;

Scoop from his rock encrusting cell

The adhesive limpet; and upheave

Where worms and sea-born insects cleave

The weed-clad stone?’ The varied vest,

Sable and white; and oft the breast

With gorget white adorn’d; the bill

Of orange, with instinctive skill

Inform’d; and legs of sanguine dye,

Bespeak the ocean-haunting pie.”

The oyster-catcher, or sea-magpie (Hamatopus ostra-
legus), is a beautiful bird, the black portion of its
plumage being a most glossy jet, and contrasting well
with the pure white which marks the lower part of the
back and the base of the tail; while in winter it has
the additional ornaments of a white gorget around its
throat. It is very common on the low flat shores of
our island, and acquired the name of sea-pie as much
from its chattering clamour as from its varied dress.
It has also those of pianet, olive, sea-woodcock, and
chalder. When a number of these birds are together
on the sands at low tide, their actions and movements
are well worth our notice. They will hunt up the
periwinkle-shell from among the weeds, or take it from
the rock, and soon swallow the mollusk within; and
they will pick away the mussel from the rock, notwith-
standing the strong silky cables by which it has moored
itself there; while they can scoop out the limpet from
its cavity with as much ease as if it only lay lightly on
the surface of the stone. Larger bivalve-shells, such as
the oyster, make some resistance to our bird. Even
this, however, it is enabled to overcome by means of
its powerful bill, which has a sharp vertical edge like a
chisel. If the shell of the oyster is only open ever so
little, this is suddenly thrust between the valves, and
when once inserted, the beak, with one sudden wrench,
opens it fully, and its owner soon devours the contents
The rocks full of holes in which the stone-piercers lie

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