io6 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Thrasher and Catbird adding to the woods. Reluctantly I turn my steps- 

 full chorus their ever changing homeward, wondering how many 

 notes. The bright flashes of yel- of these same songsters will be 

 low and orange, or the twitter and here a week later. Most of them 

 song of the many warblers among will move along to their summer 

 the fresh green leaves, keep my homes in the far north, and our 

 glass, and pencil well occupied. In only opportunity for seeing and 

 my short outing 1 find 1 have a list hearing them until another year 

 of forty-seen different varieties of will have passed, 

 our birds, all in this small piece of Carrie h.adams. Mass. 



AMERICAN AVOCET. 



A, O, \/. /<fo. 225. CRecur-Oirostra americana.)' 



RANGE. 



Abundant in the western part of the United States, on the plains of Da- 

 kota, Montana, and Colorado, and in the southwest. Found occasionally 

 on the Atlantic coast. Breeds abundantly west of the Mississippi. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length, about 17 in.; extent, about 32 in.; tail, 3.5 in. Eye carmine. 

 Legs pale blue. Feet webbed and flesh color. 



Male and female. — (In summer) Entire neck and head except portion 

 around the base of the bill, reddish buff. Wings black except the second- 

 aries which are white. Entire under parts, back and tail white. A black 

 patch on both sides of the back separated from the wings by white. (In 

 winter). The head and neck are pearl gray, otherwise similar. 



NESTS AND EGGS. 



The Avocet builds its nest jn the tall grass about the marshes. It is 

 formed of grass and occasionally of seaweed. In most sections where it 

 breeds its eggs are laid in June. They are a dark greenish buff color, 

 spotted heavily with brown. The number laid is three or four. 



