690 THE SURF BIRD. 



I swallowed haril. Our Avocets ! probabl}' the last surviving colony in 

 the State, butchered to a bird, no doubt. And for what? Say, Mr. Rancher, 

 (I got the particulars) when you get tired of beef and mutton — and I happen 

 to know that both are plentiful in your neighborhood — draw on me for the 

 price of a dozen Peacocks (their tongues are said to be good eating, I believe) 

 but please spare these beautiful, confiding Avocets — tliat is. if you e\-er see any 

 more of them''. 



No. 280. 



SURF BIRD. 



A. O. U. No. 2S2. Aphriza virgata (Gniei.). 



Description. — Adults in suiiiiiuv: Above chiefly black, edged and streaked 

 with white, in finest pattern on liead and neck; spotted with chestnut on lower 

 scapulars and tertials ; wings grayish dusky with outcropping of white on tips of 

 secondaries and (extensively) on base of primaries, upper tail-coverts and basal 

 portion of tail white ; remainder of tail Ijlack tipped narrowly with white ; below 

 white streaked and spotted with dusky, tinely and narrowly on chin and throat, 

 broadly and heavily on breast, sparingly but sharply and broadly on flanks and 

 under tail-coverts; axillaries white; bill ]>lack, flesh-colored at base of lower man- 

 dible; feet and legs greenish yellow. //) winter: Pattern of plumage blended, 

 nearly uniform grayish dusky on crown, back, hind-neck, and breast, on sides 

 streaks coalescing or wanting, but some whitish edging on feathers of wing- 

 coverts, rump, and breast. Length: 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254); wing 6.50-7.00 

 (165.1-177.8) ; tail 2.75 (69.9) ; bill i.oo (25.4) ; tarsus 1.25 (31.8). 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size. General streakiness with sJioit bill, zvltite 

 rump and white wing-patch distinctive, as compared with Heteractitis iiicanus; 

 larger size and less heavy coloration, as compared with Areiiaria inclaiioccphala. 

 Inhabits rocks and lives close to water's edge, so not likely to be confused with 

 species other than those named. 



Nest and eggs unknown. 



General Range. — Coasts and islands of western America from Bering 

 Strait south to Chili. 



Range in Washington. — Rare migrant. 



Authorities. — ? A. toivnsendi, Audubon, Orn. Biog. V., 1839, p. 249, PI. 428. 

 Not previoush' /^ublishrd. Specimens by Dr. A. K. Fisher. Blakely Rocks, Aug. 

 30, 1897. 



Specimens. — (II. of W. ) Prov. 



a. This account of the Avocet, contributed by the autlior to the columns of Tlie Pacific Monthly, and 

 appearing in June. 1907, is reproduced here by courtesy of The Pacific Monthly Publishing Company. 



