WILSON PHALAEOPE 37 



1918, and August 23, 1920, Shinnecock, August 20, 1883, and August 

 15, 1885, Far Rockaway, October 10, 1874, East River, October 15, 

 1879, Onondaga Lake, September 2, 1886, Oneida Lake, October 

 G, 1883, Ithaca, fall of 1892, Atlanticville, August 15, 1885, and June 

 1, 1887, and Bronx Park, September 21, 1924; Connecticut, Bridge- 

 port (Linsley) ; Rhode Island, Newport, August 2, 1880, August 

 20, 1883 and September 13, 1886, Sakonnet, August 24, 1899, and 

 Quonochontaug, August 28, 1909; Massachusetts, Chatham, October 

 19, 1888, Nantucket, August 31, 1889, Nahant, May, 1874, Salisbury 

 and Boston (Townsend) ; New Hampshire, Rye Beach, August 15, 

 1872 ; Maine, Sabattus Pond, September or October, 1906, and Scar- 

 borough, June 9, 1881 ; and Quebec, Montreal, August, 1869. It also 

 has been taken in British Columbia, Chilliwack, September 9, 1888, 

 and Osoyoos Lake, May 15, 1922 and May 18, 1922. It has been 

 detected a few times in Lower California, La Paz (date ?), and 

 San Jose del Cabo, one in spring and another in August, 1887. 



Egg dates. — Saskatchewan and Alberta: 51 records, May 16 to 

 June 24; 26 records, June 5 to 11. Dakotas: 23 records, May 25 to 

 June 22 ; 12 records, June 3 to 12. Colorado and Utah : 20 records, 

 May 15 to July 10; 10 records, May 25 to June 8. California: 50 

 records, May 21 to June 22 ; 25 records, June 2 to 7. 



Family RECURVIROSTRIDAE, Avocets and Stilts 



HECURVIROSTRA AMERICANA Gmelin 



AMERICAN AVOCET 



HABITS 



Wherever this large, showy bird is found it is always much in 

 evidence. Its large size and conspicuous colors could hardly be 

 overlooked, even if it were shy and retiring; but its bold, aggressive 

 manners force it upon our attention as soon as we approach its 

 haunts. Localities and conditions best suited to its needs are still 

 to be found in many places on the great plains and in the interior 

 valleys of the far west. Its favorite resorts seem to be the shallow, 

 muddy borders of alkaline lakes, wide open spaces of extensive 

 marshes, where scanty vegetation gives but little concealment, or 

 broad wet meadows splashed with shallow pools. If the muddy pools 

 are covered with reeking scum, attracting myriads of flies, so much 

 the better for feeding purposes. Dry, sun-baked mud flats or low, 

 gravelly or sandy islands, with scanty vegetation, furnish the de- 

 sired nesting conditions. In such open spaces they can be seen from 

 afar and, long before we reach their haunts, the avocets are flying 

 out to meet us, advertising the fact that we are approaching their 

 home, making the air ring with their loud yelping notes of protest, 

 circling about us and darting down at us in threatening plunges. 

 54267—27 1 



