BLACK-AND-WHITE AYOCET. 309 



differ little from the adult, the colours being similarly dis- 

 tributed, but the black shaded with brown. 



Remarks. — In relating the history of Recurvirostra Ameri- 

 cana, Mr. Audubon, who met with several individuals about a 

 pond in Indiana, presents, among others, the following state- 

 ments : — " On alighting,whether on the water or on the ground, 

 the American Avoset keeps its wings raised until it has fairly 

 settled. If in the water, it stands a few minutes balancing 

 its head and neck, somewhat in the manner of the Tell-tale 

 Godwit. After this it stalks about searching for food, or 

 runs after it, sometimes swimming for a yard or so while 

 passing from one shallow to another, or wading up to its 

 body, with the wings partially raised. Sometimes they would 

 enter among the rushes, and disappear for several minutes. 

 * * * They search for food precisely in the manner of the 

 Roseate Spoonbill, moving their heads to and fro sideways, 

 while their bill is passing through the soft mud; and in 

 many instances, when the water was deeper, they would 

 immerse their whole head and a portion of the neck, as the 

 Spoonbill and Red-breasted Snipe are wont to do. When, 

 on the contrary, they pursued aquatic insects, such as swim 

 on the surface, they ran after them, and on getting up to 

 them, suddenly seized them by thrusting the lower mandible 

 beneath them, while the other was raised a good way above 

 the surface, much in the manner of the Black Shearwater, 

 which, however, performs this act on wing. They were also 

 expert in catching flying insects, after which they ran with 

 partially expanded wings." 



