THE AVOCET. 



The Avocet, so singular in its appearance, is not destitute of beauty, its beui<, wliiuli 

 has been compared to a thin piece of elastic whalebone, and its feet, attracting particular 

 attention. " This bird," says Mr. Yarrell, " is ajjparently more rare now than formerly. 

 Sir Thomas Brown says they were not uncommon in his time in the marshy lands of 

 Norfolk ; and some years ago I was told that more than twenty specimens were received 

 at Leadenhall Market for sale within one month ; but now scarcely an example appears 

 once in a year : the last I heard of was in the spring of 1837." 



3Ir. Markwick, in his "Catalogue of the Birds of Sussex," printed in 1795, states, that 

 the avocet is not uncommon on that sea-coast in summer, but he does not recollect 

 having seen it in winter. " That it breeds here," he remarks, " I have been an eye- 

 witness ; for I remember that, several years ago', I found in the marshes near Rye a 

 young one of this species, which appeared to have been just hatched ; and I took it up in 

 my hands, whilst the old birds kept flying around me. I have also seen it in the summer 

 on the sea-coast at Bexhill." 



"The avocet," says Mudie, "is one of the most beautiful instances of adaptation in 

 the whole range of animated nature ; and it is not the less so that it is somewhat out of 

 the way of our ordinary speculations and conclusions upon that subject. According to 

 ordinary observation, and familiarity with the tools which, in very humble and distant 

 imitation of the mechanical contrivances of nature, human artists use, we at once admit 



Ivccurvirostra Avosvtt;!. — Pcilii. 



