■2 ^8 Mortimer oh Habits of Florida Birds. |Octol»er 



to the right or left, first pausing and apparently taking careful aim. 

 Occasionally it wished to reach some object at a distance out in 

 the stream, when it plunged bodily forward and stretched its 

 neck to the utmost, though it could no longer touch bottom with 

 its feet. At these times it always spread its wings, and with 

 their aid floundered backward to its former position in shallow wa- 

 ter. The manoeuvre was decidedly awkward, though apparently 

 always successful, as the bird could be observed swallowing 

 what it had secured. We watched it for some time as it waded 

 up and down the shore, and were surprised that it was not dis- 

 turbed by our presence and conversation. Finally, to test its 

 unconcern, my brother sculled the boat past it, keeping to the 

 opposite shore, which, however, was less than twenty yards dis- 

 tant from the bird. After he had passed the Heron, we talked 

 back and forth past it, but the only notice it took of us was to 

 stand motionless once or twice and look at us. It displayed the 

 greatest proof of confidence as my brother was returning, for, as 

 he was about opposite to its station, it made one of its comical 

 plunges into deep water. We finally left it still pursuing its 

 nourishment. 



Himantopus mexicanus. Black-necked Stilt. 



It is interesting to note the ability of this extraordinary Wader 

 to swim when pressed by necessity, though it probably never 

 exercises itself in this way under ordinary circumstances. While 

 on the St. John's River in April, iSSS, in company with my 

 brother, we wounded a Black-necked Stilt that was yet able to 

 use its legs and ran some distance along the shore ; but being 

 pressed by our pursuit, it took to the river and swam for the 

 opposite bank. One returned to the place where we had stepped 

 ashore, to get the boat, while the other remained to watch the 

 bird and direct the continuation of the pursuit. Before the boat 

 could be brought up to the scene of action, the Stilt had crossed 

 the river, but there it lost strength and lay helpless under the 

 bank. In swimming, the Stilt had proceeded in a sort of sidling 

 manner, and rising in the water with each stroke of the feet, and 

 continually turning its head from side to side, it presented a 

 foolish aspect, but f its progress was remarkable when its ill adap- 

 tation to swimming is considered. 



