450 



ZOOLOGY BIRDS. 



and lined nicely with weeds. They are of a dull olive-brown color blotched 

 all over with black. 



Dimensions: No. 1, 2.00 by 1.43 ; No. 2, 1.85 by 1.07 ; No. 3, 1.91 by 

 1.43; No. 4, 1.91 by 1.42. 



HIMANTOPUS NIGRICOLLIS, Vieill. 

 Black-necked Stilt. 



Bimantoputt nigricollis, VIEILL., Nouv. Diet. d'Uist. Nat,, x, 1817, 42. NEWB., P. 

 R. R. Rep., vi, 1857, 99 (California to the Columbia River). BD., Birds 

 N. A., 1858, 704. HENRY, Proc. Acacl. Nat. Sci. Phila,, 1859, 1(8 (New 

 Mexico). COUES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 18GG, 91 (Arizona). ALLEN, 

 Bull. Mns. Comp. Zool., iii, 1872, 172 (Great Salt Lake). MERRIAM, U. S. 

 Geol. Sarv. Terr., 1872, 702 (Great Salt Lake). COUES, Key N. A. Birds, 

 1872, 247, f. 160. YARROW & HENSHAW, Rep. Oru. Specs., 1872, Wheelei's 

 Exped., 1874, 29. YARROW, Rep. Oru. Specs., 1871, Wheeler's Kxped., 

 1874, 36. HENSHAW, Rep. Orn. Specs., 1873, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 69, 

 94. COUES, Birds Northwest, 1874, 462. 



Found in the same localities, at the same time, as the preceding bird, 

 the two often breeding in the same neighborhood, while in general there is 

 quite a close correspondence in their habits. At the lakes just referred to, 

 the Stilts were present in nearly equal numbers with the Avocets ; the two 

 mingling and feeding within a few feet of each other on the best of terms. 

 The Stilt is a true wader ; and never, so far as I could learn, imitates its 

 associate in its natatorial excursions from point to point, I found the young 

 of this bird, too, had just been hatched, and the parents manifested the most 

 extreme solicitude, flying about in a restless way, and accompanying my 

 progress step by step, as though fearful of losing sight of me for an instant. 

 Besides newly hatched young, so weak and helpless that they could scarcely 

 totter about on their misshapen legs, I found a single clutch of eggs, four in 



