I06 WADING BIRDS. 



on the Gulf coast. Audubon credits it with occurring along the 

 Atlantic coast to Charleston, S. C, as late as 1830. 



The old notion that when sitting on the eggs the bird's legs 

 dangle awkwardly on each side of a high cone-shaped nest has 

 been discarded, recent observers affirming that the feet are drawn 

 up under the sides of the body, the nest being close to the 

 ground, or no higher than is necessary to protect the eggs from the 

 water with which they may be surrounded. 



When on the nest the neck is gracefully curved and the head 

 neatly tucked away among the feathers of the back, like a Swan's; 

 but when flying, the Flamingo does not curve its neck, as a Heron 

 will, but carries both neck and legs outstretched and rigid. 



AMERICAN AVOCET. 



Recurvirostra aimericana. 



Char. Back and most of wings black, remainder of plumage white, 

 excepting head and neck, which are pale brown in summer and pale gray 

 in winter ; feet webbed ; legs blue ; bill black, long, and recurved. 

 Length about 17 inches. 



Nest. A bulky affair of dry grass or seaweed lined with fine grass ; 

 placed amid tall herbage on the marshy margin of a pond. 



Eggs. 3-4; buff or reddish drab, sometimes with an olive tint, cov- 

 ered with spots of brown of several shades ; size variable, average about 



2.00 X 1.35- 



The American Avocet, supposed to winter in tropical Amer- 

 ica, arrives on the coast of Cape May, in New Jersey, late in 

 April, where it rears its young, and retires to the South early 

 in the month of October. In the spring it was observed by 

 Mr. Say in the lower part of Missouri. It is also known to 

 visit Nova Scotia, though scarcely ever seen in the State of 

 Massachusetts. Dr. Richardson also found it abundant in the 

 Saskatchewan plains as far as the 53d parallel, where it 

 frequents shallow lakes, feeding on insects and fresh-water 

 Crustacea. In New Jersey it seems to have a predilection for 

 the shallow pools of the salt-marshes, wading about often in 

 search of prey, which consists of marine worms, small paludi- 

 nas, turbos, etc., to which, like the European species, it some- 

 times adds small Fuci or marine vegetables. 



