Black-necked Stilt 107 



Habits. — Henshaw found the Stilt associating with 

 the Avocet and closely resembling it in nearly every 

 respect, except that it does not swim readily, though 

 other observers state that it occasionally does take to 

 deep water ; as its toes are not webbed and its legs very 

 long, this is as one would expect. Notwithstanding its 

 long legs it is a graceful bird, and flies well and strongly, 

 with head partially drawn back and its legs extended 

 behind. 



As already stated Henshaw found a single nest at 

 the San Luis Lakes, June 21st ; it resembled in every 

 way that of the Avocet, and was merely a depression 

 in the ground lined with grasses ; it contained four eggs 

 resembling those of the Avocet but smaller ; they 

 measured 1"74: x rSO. 



Family SCOLOPACID^. 



This is the most extensive family of the order and 

 contains the Snipes and Sandpipers. The bill is long, 

 nearly always exceeding the head, and is generally covered 

 with soft, sensitive skin throughout, and never ends in 

 the hard swelling or dertrum so characteristic of the 

 Charadriidce ; it is straight or slightly up- or down-curved ; 

 nostrils exposed, generally near the base of the nasal 

 groove, which extends for half or three-quarters the 

 length of the bill ; tail of twelve feathers (except 

 Gallinago) ; tarsus always scutellate in front and, with 

 the exception of Numenius, behind as well ; four toes 

 present except in Calidris', webbing variable. 



Genus PHILOHELA. 



Bill long, straight and slender, covered with a soft and sensitive 

 skin and slightly swoUen at the tip ; culmen about twice the length 

 of the tarsus ; wings short and rounded, the tliree outer primaries 

 attenuate and falcate and abruptly shorter than the foiirth ; tail short 



