218 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



observation by dropping down close to stones, and they may 

 be readily passed over, as their colonr matches that of the pebbles 

 round about them. When frightened, they utter a shrill piping 

 cry, and, if closely pressed, take to the water, for they can swim 

 w^ell. These breeding places, however, it should be stated, are 

 now almost deserted. 



The object of the bill being bent to the right has been much 

 discussed, but no satisfactorj'- reason has yet been given for it. 

 One suggestion is that it is used as a lever for overturning stones 

 to get at the insects underneath them ; but it must be remembered 

 that a very large part of the bird's life is spent on sand and mud 

 flats. It is onlv in the breeding season that it feeds among stones. 



Ge mis Hi ma n to pus. 



Bill much longer than the head, slender, straight. Tarsi very 

 long and slender; toes united at the base by a small membrane; 

 hind toe wanting. Ahnost cosmopolitan. 



Key to the Species. 



1. Under surface of body black. H. melas. 

 Under surface of body white. 2 



2. A white collar round the bind neck- H. leucocephalus. 

 No white collar round the neck. H. pieatus- 



The White-headed Stilt. — Tuturi-pourewa. 



Himantopns Iciicocephahis. 



Above, glossy black; head, uuder surface, a collar round the back of 

 the neck, and upper tail coverts, white. Tail white, washed with brown 

 OP. the centre feathers and on the outer webs of the outer ones. Bill 

 black. Legs and feet light red. Eye red. Length of the wing, 9.4 inches; 

 of the tarsus, -i.o inches. Egg — Yellowish brown, spotted all over with 

 brownish black; length, 1.5 inches. In young birds the back of the neck 

 is grey. //. albicollis of Buller appears to be a variety of this species 

 with the neck all white. Molucca Islands to Australia and New 

 Zealand. 



]\Ir. Potts sa>'s that this bird makes a slight nest of grass, often 

 by the edges of lagoons, five or six nests generally being found 



