690 . THE SURF BIRD. 
I swallowed hard. Our Avocets! probably the last surviving colony in 
the State, butchered to a bird, no doubt. And for what? Say, Mr. Rancher, 
(I got the particulars) when you get tired of beef and mutton—and I happen 
to know that both are plentiful in your neighborhood—draw on me for the 
price of a dozen Peacocks (their tongues are said to be good eating, I believe) 
but please spare these beautiful, confiding Avocets—that is, if you ever see any 
more of them*. 
No. 280. 
SURF BIRD. ' 
A. O. U. No. 282. Aphriza virgata (Gmel.). 
Description.—Adults in summer: Above chiefly black, edged and streaked 
with white, in finest pattern on head and neck; spotted with chestnut on lower 
scapulars and tertials; wings grayish dusky with outcropping of white on tips of 
secondaries and (extensively) on base of primaries, upper tail-coverts and basal 
portion of tail white; remainder of tail black tipped narrowly with white; below 
white streaked and spotted with dusky, finely and narrowly on chin and throat, 
broadly and heavily on breast, sparingly but sharply and broadly on flanks and 
under tail-coverts ; axillaries white; bill black, flesh-colored at base of lower man- 
dible; feet and legs greenish yellow. Jn winter: Pattern of plumage blended, 
nearly uniform grayish dusky on crown, back, hind-neck, and breast, on sides 
streaks coalescing or wanting, but some whitish edging on feathers of wing- 
coverts, rump, and breast. Length: 9.00-10.00 (228.6-254); wing 6.50-7.00 
(165.1-177.8) ; tail 2.75 (69.9); bill 1.00 (25.4); tarsus 1.25 (31.8). 
Recognition Marks.—Robin size. General streakiness with short bill, white 
rump and white wing-patch distinctive, as compared with Heteractitis incanus; 
larger size and less heavy coloration, as compared with Arenaria melanocephala. 
Inhabits rocks and lives close to water’s edge, so not likely to be confused with 
species other than those named. 
Nest and eggs unknown. 
General Range.—Coasts and islands of western America from Bering 
Strait south to Chili. 
Range in Washington.—Rare migrant. 
Authorities.— ? 4. townsendi, Audubon, Orn. Biog. V., 1839, p. 249, Pl. 428. 
Not previously published. Specimens by Dr. A. K. Fisher, Blakely Rocks, Aug. 
30, 1897. 
Specimens.—(U. of W.) Proy. 
a. This account of the Avocet, contributed by the author to the columns of The Pacific Monthly, and 
appearing in June, 1907, is reproduced here by courtesy of The Pacific Monthly Publishing Company 
