In Dutch Water Meadows. 1 1 5 



drawn backwards with a curve like the droop of the 

 dewlap of a cow. The young birds, of which we 

 caught two in different stages of growth, mimic 

 their mother's steps as they run, and could be 

 identified by this even without the fascinating little 

 baby nez retrousst which makes mistake impossible. 

 One, a little striped puff-ball, which could not have 

 been many hours out of the egg when we found it, 

 feigned desperate illness rather too well, and was all 

 but pocketed as past all hope of recovery. But when 

 left alone, unobserved as it supposed, on the grass for 

 a few minutes, rose quietly, and after creeping slowly 

 through the stalks for a foot or two, reached a sandy 

 "grip," when it set off running at a pace miraculous 

 for so small a creature. 



The legs of the old birds are bare for some inches 

 above the joint, which is very prominent, and are of 

 a silvery grey, not many shades removed from Cam- 

 bridge blue, and are more slender than in the pretty 

 picture in Lord Lilford's book. 



In flight the legs are tucked tightly under the tail, 

 of which, when the bird is in the air, they seem a 

 part. The body is exceptionally flat, so much so 

 that an Avocet flying looks as if it could have no 

 stomach. 



In spite of their slender make they are courageous, 

 and if offended fly at more stoutly-built birds. A. 

 couple of days later, on another marsh, we watched 

 for ten minutes or more one of them vociferously 

 attacking a Black-headed Gull, who perhaps be- 

 cause it had been sucking eggs, and conscience had 

 made a coward of it was evidently very anxious 

 to shake off its pursuer. The Avocet circled up- 

 wards like a Falcon, and swooped with a scream 

 again and again at the Gull from above, never, so 



