RECURVIROSTRA. 363 
1. Recurvirostra americana. 
American Avocet, Penn. Arctic Zool. ii. p. 502, t. 21°. 
Recurvirostra americana, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 693°; Salv. Ibis, 1865, p. 192°; 1866, p. 198*; 
Dresser, Ibis, 1866, p. 35°; Dugés, La Nat.i. p. 142°; Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. 
p. 8087; Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 233°; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgw. Water-Birds N. Amer. 1. 
p. 841°; Herrera, La Nat. (2) 1. pp. 186 0 828"; Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. N. H. v. 
p. 33"; A. O. U. Check-l. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 83°°; Elliot, N. Amer. Shore-Birds, 
p. 833“; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 330°; Oates, Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus. i. 
p. 36*. . 
Recurvirostra occidentalis, Vig. Zool. Journ. iv. p. 8356"; Wagler, Isis, 1831, p. 522°. 
Ptil. hiem. pileo, collo postico et facie laterali margaritaceo-cinereis ; dorso toto et uropygio pure albis, 
supracaudalibus margaritaceo-cinereis ; scapularibus nigricanti-brunneis, extimis dimidiatim albis, fasciam 
longitudinalem albam formantibus ; ala nigra, tectricibus alarum albo terminatis ; secundariis externis 
dimidiatim brunneis et albis, extus albo plus minusve marginatis; secundariis interioribus quibusdam 
pure albis, intimis longissimis brunneis cinereo lavatis; rectricibus pallide cinereis, extimis intus albis ; 
fronte, loris, genis et corpore subtus toto pure albis: rostro nigro; pedibus cyanescenti-cinereis ; iride 
umbrina. Long. tota circa 15:8, ale 9:0, caude 3:4, culm. 4:0, tarsi 3°75. 
9 mari similis. Long. tota circa 15°5, ale 8°38. (Deser. maris et femine hiem. ex Chiapam. Mus. nostr.) 
Piil. cestiv. pileo, collo postico et laterali, et corpore subtus pallide vinaceo-cinnamomeo indutis. (Descr. maris 
adulti ex Corpus Christi, Texas. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Norru Amentca, north to the Saskatchewan and Great Slave Lake ; rare in the 
Fastern United States 12—Muexico (Wagler 18), Matamoros (Dresser°), Oputo, 
Sonora (Robinette!2), Mazatlan (Grayson"), Rio de Coahuayana (Xantus"), Zacatecas 
(Richardson), Guanajuato and Guadalajara (Dugés®), Valley of Mexico 
(Herrera 011), east coast of Mexico, Alvarado and Cordova in Vera Cruz 
(Sumichrast ®), 8. Mexico (Boucard *); GUATEMALA, Chiapam (0. S. 341). 
This bird is an inhabitant of North America, having nearly the same range as 
Himantopus meaicanus, but extending a little farther north than the last-named 
species. It appears to be a winter visitor to Central America, as Herrera says that it 
occurs on migration in the Valley of Mexico in August and September !®, Grayson 
speaks of the Avocet as a winter visitor at Mazatlan 7, and Salvin found it plentiful 
in Guatemala, at Chiapam, and about the neighbouring lagoons 4, 
When not molested, the American Avocet is of a tame disposition, but if persecuted 
speedily becomes very shy and wary. The bird seeks its food along the shallows, 
wading for some distance into the water, and often plunging its head and neck 
under the surface. The thick-set plumage and webbed feet enable it to be quite at 
home in the water, and it is a good swimmer 1+. 
The nest is made of dry grass and is placed in a tussock, generally in marshy 
places. The eggs are four in number, varying in colour from dark olive to buff, and 
thickly spotted or blotched with chocolate- or sepia-brown ° '*. 
46* 
