or little-knoion Limicolse. 257 



at once into the shoal water of a ' ciit-ofif ' from the river, 

 which passed immediately in fi'ont of the house, and began 

 to feed. I was near enough to see them immerse their bills 

 into the water, and search the soft mud below for their prey ; 

 and as they, from time to time, were scattered, and again as- 

 sembled in a group, I had ample time and an excellent oppor- 

 tunity to note their manner of feeding. I was soon satisfied 

 that their habits in this respect did not differ from those of R. 

 americana, which I had previously seen in great numbers, 

 and closely observed on the borders of the Ozo river, in 

 southern Texas. After watching them for some time, I took 

 ray gun, and at a single discharge secured five of the dozen 

 that composed the flock. The remainder flew the distance of 

 a stone^s throw, and, alighting in shoal water, began to feed 

 again without appearing to notice the loss of their companions. 

 I followed them, and in a few minutes procured three more 

 within one hundred yards of the house. During that day, 

 and several successive days that I remained at the post, I saw 

 flocks of from six to ten on their feeding-grounds, both morn- 

 ing and afternoon. I shot them, as well as Ducks and Snipe, 

 daily ; and at no time that I recollect had I any difficulty in 

 approaching within easy gun-shot. 



" A few days previously I had seen a very large flock of 

 these birds near Val Verde, some 170 miles further up the 

 river. This flock contained fifty or sixty birds ; they rose 

 near me as I fired at a flock of Teal, and circled round in very 

 compact order, presenting the beautiful contrast of their white 

 and black markings, and at length settled on the opposite 

 side of the pond, where they were beyond pursuit. The oc- 

 casions here mentioned are the only ones on which I have 

 met with R. occidentalis. 



" On the wing the flocks were usually closely compacted ; the 

 flight was buoyant, and with little exertion of muscular force." 



Recurvirostris andina, Philippi & Landbeck. 

 Recurvirostra andina, Philippi & Landbeck, Wiegm. Arch. 

 1863, p. 131. 



Hab. Paruncota, in the Andes. 



