THE AMERICAN AVOCET. 



KITE SNIPE, Yelper, 

 Lawyer, and Scooper are 

 some of the popular 

 names applied in various 

 localities to this remarkably long- 

 legged and long and slender-necked 

 creature, which is to be found in tem- 

 perate North America, and, in winter, 

 as far south as Cuba and Jamaica. In 

 north-eastern Illinois the Avocet o^en- 

 erally occurs in small parties the last 

 of April and the first of May, and dur- 

 ing September and the early part of 

 October, when it frequents the borders 



of marshy pools. The bird combines 

 the characteristics of the Curlew and 

 the Godwit, the bill being re-curved. 

 The cinnamon color on the head 

 and neck of this bird varies with the 

 individual; sometimes it is dusky gray 

 around the eye, especially in the 

 younger birds. 



The Avocet is interesting and at- 

 tractive in appearance, without having 

 any especially notable characteristics. 

 He comes and goes and is rarely seen 

 by others than sportsmen. 



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