164 CHARADRIID^. 
north during April and May_, and returning in October."— 
Favier. 
Favier also states that the Oystercatchers sometimes 
remain to nest. This is possibly the case ; but the eggs 
which were marked as "Oystercatcher's" by him were to all 
appearance those of the Stone-Curlew [CEdicnemus crepitans) . 
On the Spanish side the bird is not at all numerous near 
Gibraltar, and appears irregularly from autumn to spring, the 
latest recorded by me having been one observed on the 5th of 
May by Lord Lilford near the mouth of the Guadalquivir. 
225. Recurvirostra avocetta, Linn. The Avocet. 
Moorish. Bou mehet [Favier) . Spanish. Avoceta. 
"This species is not common in the vicinity of Tangier, 
being only met with on passage, on the edges of rivers and 
lakes, in small flights, which pass northwards during March, 
April, and May and return south in November/' — Favier. 
I never personally met with the Avocet on either side of 
the Straits. A few pairs nest in some parts of the marismas 
during the month of May, and specimens of both eggs and 
birds are occasionally brought into Seville ; but it cannot be, 
unless very local, a common bird. 
226. Himantopus candidus, Bonn. The Black-winged 
Stilt. 
Moorish. Bou-ksaiba {Favier). Spanish. Ciguenela. 
"This bird is not found close to Tangier, ])ut frequents 
freshwater lakes further south, where many remain for the 
breeding-season; others, arriving during the month of April, 
pass on northwards and return in November. They appear 
to migrate by night.'' — Favier. 
This Stilt is, in spring, one of the most common of the 
marsh-birds on both sides of the Straits. At Masharalhaddar, 
in Morocco, and in the marismas of the Guadalquivir their 
numbers are perfectly marvellous. I could not find them 
nesting nearer to Gibraltar than the above-mentioned ma- 
risma. They frequent open shallow pools and lakes, and are 
