SHORE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 37 



HinANTOPUS MEXICANUS (Mull.). 

 Black- necked Stilt. 



Adult : Top and sides of the head and back of the neck aiid back, black ; uuder eyelid and a 

 spot above and behind the eye, forehead, and sides of the head uuder the eye, white; rest of 

 under parts, with the rump and upper tail coverts, white; tail, ash gray or pearl gray; bill, 

 black ; legs, red in life. 



The immature bird has the upper parts brownish ; feathers, edged with whitish ; wings, 

 blackish, some of the feathers tipped with white ; wing coverts, edged with buff or tawny 

 brown; under parts, white mottled with black and tawny bi-owu. 



Length, 15.50; wing, 9; tail, 3; tarsus, 4.25; bill, 2.70. 



JJCUIL'S 13 V.UI1JIIIUU LllLULU^I 



^ 



This species is common throughout tropical America, occasionally being 



found in the Mississippi Valley as far 

 north as Minnesota. It is accidental on 

 the Atlantic coast north of Florida and 



Jp- "M Southern Georgia, although it has been 



^^^ recorded as far north as Long Island and 



^^T Maine. It is common in Florida after 



^^^ April 1, and breeds from Florida and 



^^^ the Gulf States northward up the Missis- 



W sippi Valley to Minnesota, and west to 

 Utah and Oregon. The eggs are laid on 



HiiiiantoiHis Mexican^. the ground, sometimes on a little grass, 



and again without any nest whatever. They are three or four in number and 

 pale brown or dull white, spotted and marked with chocolate brown. 



3959O9 



