AVOCETS AND STILTS. 149 



white; a black streak passes through the eye to the side of the neck and, 

 changing to rufous-chestnut, continues down the sides of the back and on the 

 scapulars ; neck and upper breast washed with pale, brownish rufous ; rest of 

 the under parts and upper tail-coverts white. Ad. $ in summer. Upper parts 

 fuscous-brown, bordered with grayish brown ; upper tail-coverts, nape, and a 

 line over the eye white or whitish ; sides of the neck and breast washed with 

 rufous; rest of the under parts white. Ads. in winter. Upper parts gray, 

 margined with white; upper tail-coverts white; wings fuscous, their coverts 

 margined with butty; under parts white. /TO. "Top of head, back, and 

 scapulars dusky blackish, the feathers distinctly bordered with buff'; wing- 

 coverts also bordered with pale buff or whitish ; upper tail-coverts, superciliary 

 stripe, and lower parts white, the neck tinged with buff'" (Ridgw.). $ L., 

 8-75; W., 4-75; Tar., 1-20; B., 1-20. 9 L., 9-50; W., 5-25; Tar., 1-30; B., 1-30. 



Range. " Temperate North America, chiefly in the interior, breeding from 

 northern Illinois and Utah northward to the Saskatchewan region; south in 

 winter to Brazil and Patagonia" (A. O. U.). 



Long Island, casual, Aug., Sept., and Oct. 



Nest, a shallow depression in soft earth lined with a thin layer of frag- 

 ments of grass. Eygs, three to four, cream-buff or bufty white, heavily 

 blotched with deep chocolate, 1-28 x -94. (See Nelson, Bull. Nutt. Orn. 

 Club, ii, 1879, pp. 38-43.) 



" These birds are rare in the Eastern States, abundant in the Mis- 

 sissippi Valley, and quite common westward within their range. They 

 inhabit the marshes, swales, and edges of shallow ponds, feeding upon 

 minute snails and other small forms of life that abound in their aquatic 

 haunts, procuring the same chiefly by running over the moist ground 

 or wading in the short growths of water grasses. They swim buoy- 

 antly, but seldom long at a time or far from the shore, and I never 

 saw one dive or make an attempt to do so, but, when frightened, pre- 

 fer to escape by flight, which is strong, but at such times in a zigzag 

 and wavy manner, dropping back as soon as out of danger. As a rule 

 they are not timid, and are easily approached. Their motions, whether 

 upon the land or water, are easy and pleasing, gracefully nodding the 

 head or picking from side to side as they go " (Goss). 



FAMILY RECURVIROSTRIDJE. AVOCETS AND STILTS. 



The eleven species comprising this family are distributed through- 

 out the warmer parts of the world. They are generally found in 

 flocks, and may be called Wading Snipe. They feed in shallow water, 

 wading to their heels, and when necessary swimming with ease. 



225. Recurvirostra americana Gmd. AMERICAN AVOCET. Ad. 

 in summer. Head and neck cinnamon-rufous, back and tail white, scapulars 

 and primaries black ; middle coverts, tips of the greater ones, and part of sec- 

 ondaries white ; belly white, bill turned upward. Ad. in winter and Im. 



