THE AVOCET. 389 



spots. There is little difference between the eggs of the 

 two species, save that those of the grey phalarope are con- 

 siderably larger. 



Gen. Recwrvirostra, L. 



Beak long,, thin, smooth, flattened on the top, the outer 

 half bent upwards ; front toes joined by an indented mem- 

 brane to the points ; hind toe small, does not reach the 

 ground ; first wing feather longest ; tail with twelve feathers ; 

 under coverts very long. Female resembles the male, but 

 is smaller, with a shorter beak. 



219. EECURVIEOSTEA AVOCETTA, L. Skarflacka. The 



Avocet. D. F. 



Length 18 in. ; tail 3 in. ; beak 3-- in. ; tarsus 3-- in. ; 

 the naked portion of the tibia 2 in. ; ground colour pure 

 white ; crown of the head, nape of the neck, scapulars, 

 and lesser wing coverts, black; beak black ; iris brown; 

 legs grey-blue. In the young the back is tinged with 

 brown, and the shoulders edged with red-brown. 

 Rare in Scandinavia, and is seldom seen north of Got- 

 land and Aland, where they are said to breed. Breed in 

 many places in Denmark. Eggs three, scarcely so large as 

 those of the golden plover, much resembling in colour those 

 of the black- winged stilt, drab ground, covered all over with 

 deep black spots. The black -winged stilt has been killed in 

 Denmark. 



ORDER 5. NATATORES. 



Legs short ; toes webbed to the claws ; feathers tight 

 and downy ; the male always the largest, and, in most cases 

 the handsomest ; moult twice in the year. Many such as 

 the geese, swans, and ducks shed all their wing feathers at 

 once, generally about the end of July, and for a fortnight or 

 so cannot fly. 



Fam. 1. LONGIPENNES, Cuv. 

 Wings long and pointed; beak, hard., smooth (never 



