THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 121 



1908, at Avalon, and another ahot by John Fonda at Barnegat, May 

 31st, 1880/ John Krider states that it formerly nested on Egg 

 Island, in Delaware Bay.- There is a specimen in the Philadelphia 

 Academy collection, taken at BcH^sley's Point by Samuel Ashmead, 

 witliout date. 



226 Himantopus mexicanus (Miiller). 

 Black-necked Stilt, Law3'er. 



Adult male. — Length, 13.50-15.50. Wing, 8.50-9. Wings, upper back, back 

 of head and neck, glossy greenish-bhick ; rest of plumage, including forehead 

 and ring around the eye, white ; legs, bright red. 



Female. — Similar, but back browner. 



Young in first autumn. — Similar, but edged above with buff. 



Nest a depression in the ground ; eggs, three to four, buff spotted with choco- 

 late-brown, 1.80x1.25. 



Very rare straggler from the south. 



Wilson and Audubon found the Stilt a common summer resident at 

 Egg Harbor, breeding on the salt meadows in 1812 and 1829, respect- 

 ively, and Turnbull and Krider state that they found it nesting on 

 Egg Island, Delaware Bay [evidently prior to 1869], but it was 

 rather scarce. 



A letter from Wm. M. Baird to his brother, Spencer F. Baird, dated 

 Cape Island, July 16th, 1843, states that they were present there at 

 that time, and a few days later, on July 31st, at Cape May Court 

 House, he secured a specimen.^ 



The only recent record I have is one shot at Stone Harbor x\pril 

 27th, 1894, by C. A. Voelker."* 



' Braislin, Auk, 1905, p. 78. 



- Forty Years' Notes, p. 62. 



' Baird, Cassin & Lawrence, Birds of N. A., p. 704. 



* Stone, Birds of E. Pa. and N. J., p. 152. 



