255 



THE AVOSET. 



Recurvirostra avosetta, LINNAEUS. 



PLATE XXI. 



Recurvirostra avocetta, Linn, L'avocette, Buff. Avocette 

 a nuque noire, Temm. Avoset or Scooping Avoset of 

 British authors. 



THIS bird, also of a very remarkable form, is of more 

 frequent occurrence with us than the last, breeding 

 in some of the fenny districts. Their stations, how- 

 ever, are fast decreasing, and the bird in England 

 may be considered as becoming more rare year after 

 year. Mr. Yarrell states, that some years since, 

 more than twenty specimens were seen in Leaden- 

 hall market within one month ; but, lately, they 

 have been much less frequent, the last heard of 

 being in the spring of 1837- * In Scotland, we 

 have the authority of Mr. Selby and Dr. Fleming t 

 for saying, that they sometimes occur ; but we have 

 never had the satisfaction of meeting with it. By 

 Mr. Thompson, it is said to be a rare visitant in 

 Ireland. In Europe it is found on various parts of 



* Yarrell, ii. p. 556. 



t British Animals, p. 101. " Resident in England, a strag- 

 gler in Scotland." 



