BLACK-WINGED STILT. 



SCOLOPACID^.] 



HIMANTOPUS CANDIDUS, Boxxaterke. 



Explanation of Plate. 



Figure 1. South Russia, June 8, 1889. 

 „ 2. Ditto, May 30, 1888. 

 „ 3. Ditto, May 3, 1889. 

 „ 4. Ditto, May 27, 1887. 

 „ 5. South Spain, May 17, 1888.^ 



In Collection of H. Massey, Esq. 



The Black-winged Stilt is an accidental visitor to the British Islands, its 

 chief occurrences havina: been in the summer months. 



^& 



Mr. Howard Saunders writes*: — "To Denmark, Germany, Holland and the 

 north of France the Black-winged Stilt is only a straggler, but — like the Avocet — 

 it breeds sparingly on the Neuseidler See in Hungary, more freely in the Camargue 

 at the mouth of the Rhone, and abundantly in the marismas of Southern Spain, as 

 well as in the marshes of Sicily, and on the low shores of the Black, Caspian and 

 Aral Seas. It also nests freely by the lakes of North Africa, though even there, 

 as well as in the Canaries and throughout the basin of the Mediterranean, the 

 bird is almost entirely a migrant, arriving in March or April and seldom remaining 

 after the end of November. In winter it is found down both sides of Africa and 

 in Madagascar ; while in Asia it inhabits the warm and temperate regions, large 

 numbers breeding in some parts of the north of India, and also in Ceylon. 



" The eggs, full clutches of which I have found plentiful in the south of 

 Spain by May 4th, are usually 4 in number, and are of a warm stone-colour 

 with hieroglyphic-like scroUings and blotches of black." 



Mr. O. Salvin, in his notes on " Five Months' Birds' -nesting in the Eastern 

 Atlas" in 1857, referring to this species, writes \: — " Abundant at Zana, a few 

 pairs occurring at Djendeli and Guerah el Tharf. Over the whole of the lower 



* ' Manual of British Birds,' p. 548. 

 t ' Ibis,' 1859, p. 360. 



