AVOCET. 



SCOLOPACID^.] 



RECURVIROSTRA AVOCETTA, Linn^us. 



Explanation of Plate. 



Figure 1. River Guadalquivir, Spain, May 1889. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. 



„ 2. South Spain, April 30, 1890. Ditto. 



„ 3. Denmark, May 12, 1886. In collection of F. Poyntiug. 



„ 4. South Spain, April 30, 1890. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. 



„ 5. Denmark, May 1886. Ditto. 



Although this species formerly bred in England, it is now only known as a 

 rare spring and autumn migrant to the British Islands. 



Me. H. Seebohm writes * : — " At the commencement of the present century the 

 Avocet was a well-known and common summer visitor to the low-lying eastern 

 counties of England ; but now, owing to the drainage of its favourite fens and the 

 reclamation of its chosen marshes, it is only known as a straggler on migration. 

 At irregular intervals a few Avocets appear in spring, less frequently in autumn, 

 at what was formerly their breeding-grounds ; but they are remorselessly shot 

 down by collectors of rare birds. There is no reliable evidence that the Avocet 

 has bred in our islands for the past sixty years. Its breeding-haunts were 

 apparently confined to the marshes of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Sufi'olk, and Romney 

 Marsh in Kent. To the rest of England the Avocet was, and is, only known as 

 an accidental straggler, becoming much rarer in the north. Only about half a 

 dozen specimens have been recorded from Scotland, where it has been met with 

 as far north as the Shetlands, and as far west as Stornoway, in the Outer 

 Hebrides. In Ireland it is equally scarce, being only known as an extremely rare 

 straggler. 



" The increase of population and the di'ainage of marshes have restricted the 

 breeding-places of the Avocet in Europe to the islands off the coast of Denmark 

 and Holland, the marshes of Southern Spain, the delta of the Rhone, and the 



* ' History of British Birds,' vol. iii. pp. 74-77. 



