THE STILT. 



d? 



THE BLACK-NECKED STILT 



(Himantopus n itjricoUis. ) 



This curious bird, under the name of Long-legged Avoset, 

 is descrtbcd by Mr. Wilson in his usual lively and interest- 

 ing style. He says : — 



This species arrives on the sea coast of New Jersey about 

 the 25th of April, in small, detached flocks, of twenty or 

 thirty together. These sometimes again subdivide into 

 lesser parties ; but it rarely happens that a pair is found 

 Bolitary, as, during the breeding season, they usually asso- 

 ciate in small companies. On their first arrival, and, 

 indeed, during the whole of their residence, they inhabit 

 those particular parts of the salt marshes pretty high up 

 towards the land, that are broken into numerous shallow 

 pools, but are not usually overflowed by the tides during 

 the summer. These pools, or ponds, are generally so shal- 

 low, that, with their long legs, the Avosets can easily wade 

 them in every direction ; and, as they abound with minute 

 shell-fish, and multitudes of aquatic insects and their larvat-, 

 besides the eggs and spawn of others deposited in the soft 

 mud below, these birds find here an abundant supply of 

 food and are almost continually seen wading about in such 

 places, often up to the breast in water. 



In the vicinity of these bald placesj as they are called 

 by the country people, and at the distance of forty or fifty 

 yards off, among the thiols tufts of grass, one of these amaU 



