460 RECURVIROSTEA AMERICANA, AVOCET. 



Family EEOUKVIROSTRID^E: Avocets. 



EEOURVIROSTRA AMERICAll^A, Gm. 

 Avocet. 



Recurrirostra americann, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 693. — Lath., Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 787. — 

 WiLS., Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 126, pi. 63, f. -2.— Bp., Syn. 1828, No. 280.— Sw. & 

 Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 375.— Nutt., Mau. ii, 1834, 75.— Bp., List, 1838, 54.— AuD., 

 O. Biog. iv, 1838, 168, pi. 318; Syn. 1839, 252; B. Am. vi, 1843, 24, pi. 353.— Emm., 

 Cat. B. Mass. 1835, 5.— GiR., B. L. I. 1844, 269.— Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 100 

 (Indian Teiritory and New Mexico). — Putn., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1856, 230. — Cab., 

 J. f. O. iv, 1856, 422 (Cuba).— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 703.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. 

 Wash. Ter. 1860, 234.— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. 1860, No. 197.— Hayd., Rep. 

 1862, 173 (Yellowstone). — Vei?r., Pr. Ess. Inst, iii, 1862, 158 (coast of Maine, one 

 instance). — Boardm., Pr. Best. Soc. ix, 1862, 128 (same instance). — ArxEX, Pr. 

 Ess. Inst, iv, 1864, 86.— Lawk., Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii, 1866, 295.— CouES, Pr. 

 Pbila. Acad. 1866, 97 (Arizona).- McIlwr., Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1866, 92 (Toronto).— 

 Dress., Ibis, 1866, 35 (Texas).- Salv., Ibis, 1866, 198 (Guatemala).— CouES, 

 Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 124 (South Carolina).- Coues, Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1868, 

 292 (New England, rare or accidental). — Turnb., B. E. Pa. 1869, 28 (rather 

 rare).- Mayn., Guide, 1870, 143.— Stev. ,U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 466 (North 

 Platte).— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1871, 33.— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 357 

 (Florida, in winter); iii, 1872, 182 (Great Salt Lake).— Merr.,U. S. Geol. Surv. 

 Ter. 1872, 701 (Great Salt Lake).— Aiken, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv, 1872, 209 (Arkansas 

 River).— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 10, No. 213.— Gray, Hand-list, iii, 1871, 47, No. 

 10288.— Coues, Key, 1872, 147, fig. 1.59.— Ridgw., Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 1874, 385 

 (Illinois). 



Becurvirosfra oceidcnfalis, ViG., Zool. Journ. iv, 1829, 356; Zool. Voy. Blossom, 1839, 28, 

 pi. 12.— Wagl., Isis, 1831, 520.— Gray, Gen. of B. pi. 155.— Bd., Stansbury's 

 Rep. 1852, 334.— Cass., 111. 1855, 232, pi. 40.— Newb., P. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857, 

 99. (Young.) 



American Avosit, Penn., Arct. Zool. ii, 502, pi. 21. — Lath., Syn, v. pi. 93. 



Hah. — United States and British Provinces. North to the Saskatchewan and Great 

 Slave Lake. Rare or casual in New England. Breeds throughout. Winters on our 

 southern border and beyond (to Guatemala). 



List of specimens. 



19376 



Fort Randall. ...... Sept. 12, 1860 



G. H.Trook. 



Lieutenant Warrenh Expedition. — 5446, Yellowstone River. 



Later Expeditions.— 59872-3, Colorado; 60775, North Platte; 61641-2, Great Salt Lake. 



The Avocet is irregularly distributed over nearly all of temperate 

 North America; that is, from rather high latitudes iu British America 

 to Mexico and the Gulf, aud from one ocean to the other. Neverthe- 

 less, there are large tracts of country that it scarcely ever visits ; thus, 

 it is little more than a straggler iu New Bugland, though not rare 

 southward on the Atlantic coast. It is, perhaps, more abundant than 

 elsewhere in the interior of the United States, along the Mississippi 

 Valley, and thence westward, in all suitable localities, to the Rocky 

 Mountains. Several observers state that they have never met with it 

 on the Pacific coast; and Dr. Suckley records that a single specimen he 

 procured iu Washington seemed to be astray, and was unknown to the 

 settlers. This writer speaks of its abundance in Dakota, and notes the 

 fact, perhaps not generally known, that it frequented the banks of run- 

 ning brooks as well as the margins of still pools. These latter, how- 

 ever, together with swampy places throughout the interior, and marshy 

 places along the coast, are its favorite resorts. Some have asserted that 

 it gives preference to salt or brackish waters, as would seem to be iudi- 

 cated by its abundance at Great Salt Lake, iu Utah, and about the alkaline 

 waters of Dakota, as just noticed; but it is found to be equally abun- 

 dant upon fresh lakes and rivers throughout the interior. 



In the United States aud northward the Avocet is chiefly a summer 



