58 THE GAME BIRDS 
68. AMERICAN AVOCET. 
Recurvirostra americana. 
Predominating color of the full plumaged 
birds is white, shading to a hght brown on 
the neck and head, which seems to fade aw ay, 
as winter approaches, to a dull gray. Wings 
black. The bill is extremely long, being 
about one-fifth the length of the whole bir d, 
curved upward and black. Eyes heht brown. 
Legs very long; dull blue. ‘Extent Ze Leet, 
length nearly 13 feet. 
This is a very curious bird, with its small 
body and long legs and bill, and parti-colored 
plumage. It feeds upon the aquatic insects 
which inhabit the shallow pools about which 
it loves to wade, immersing its long bill to 
the bottom, skimming the top in rapid succes- 
sion, but they do also sometimes invade the 
orass fields, and wander over them in their 
search for food. They are now very rare in 
the Eastern United States, but seem to be 
common on the Pacifie coast, and the Eastern 
markets often receive them in consignments 
oS 
of game from the Mississippi Valley. 
69. BLACK-NECKED STILT. 
LONG SHANKS. 
Himantopus mexicanus. 
Under side, forehead and base of tail white, 
and a large spot of same color on each side of 
the head back of the eye. ‘Top of head, nape 
