250 Mr. J. E. Hurting on rare 



Harbour^ Angra, Pequena, &c. ; but it usually disappears 

 from Damara Land during the breeding-season, though I have 

 little doubt that a few pairs remain to nest there, as I 

 have occasionally met with very young birds during the dry 

 time of the year." Mr. E. L. Layard, writing in 1867, 

 included this Avocet in his 'Birds of South Africa' as oc- 

 curring periodically in the colony in small flocks, and men- 

 tioned Zeekoe Bay, on the Simon's Town and Wynberg road, 

 Nel's Poort and Beaufort as localities where mimerous spe- 

 cimens had been procured, among them several in very young 

 plumage ; but at that date he had not heard of their breeding 

 there. That they do so, however, there is now no doubt ; for 

 he has since obtained the eggs there, and one of these, with 

 which he kindly presented me, is now in my collection*. 



Were I to attempt to indicate in detail all the localities 

 in which the Avocet has been met with in Asia, I might say 

 as much for that vast continent as has been said for Africa; 

 but I should perhaps only weary my readers, and occupy 

 too much valuable space. Suffice it to say that, according 

 to Pallas, Radde, and other well-known authorities, the 

 so-called European Avocet is met with in Siberia, Tartary, 

 and Mongolia. Mr. Blanford shot a specimen in June at the 

 Lake of Shiraz, but considers it rather a rare bird in Persia. 

 Major St. John also procured specimens at the Lake of 

 Shiraz and at the Lake of Dastarjiu. Canon Tristram found 

 it in Palestine; and the late Mr. J. K. Lord noticed it in 

 Arabia. 



In India there seems to be some difference of opinion as 

 to its distribution in that country. Jerdon and Blyth both 

 considered that it is not a common bird there, although the 

 former naturalist has remarked (' Birds of India,' iii. p. 706) 

 that it is " met with occasionally throughout the whole country, 



* This is not the only instance of a species breeding in what is generally 

 termed its "winter-quarters." Some interesting notes on this subject, in 

 which other species are named, by Mr. Layard, Dr. Bree, and the late Mr. 

 Blyth, will be found in the ' Field ' for 1871. See also Burgess, P. Z. S. 

 1855, p. 23; P.Z. S. 186-3, p. 288; Sharpo and Dresser, P. Z. S. 1870. 

 p. 244 : and Saunders, Ibis, 1871, p. 389. 



