132 



NE8T8 AND EQGS OF 



225 AMERICAN AVOCET. Kct-iin-irnxtni tinn-rimna Gm. Geog. Dist. Tem- 

 perate portions of North America, from the Saskatchewan country and Great Slave 

 Lake southward; in winter to Guatemala and the West Indies. 



A bird of striking appearance, of odd coloration, having extraordinarily long 

 legs; feet webbed" like those of a swimming bird; body flattened underneath, and 

 duck-like plumage to resist the water. The most striking characteristic of the bird. 

 however, is its long, decidedly up.urned bill, auu from its blue legs it receives the 



225. EUROPEAN AVOCRT. Not distinguishable In cut from our American spec'es (From Brehni). 



name of Blue-stocking. It is very abundant in the West, on the plains of tb> 

 kotas, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. In these regions it breeds in JIHH-. 

 nesting in the tall grass in marshy or wet places. The eggs vary from a dark oliv 

 to buff, pretty uniformly and profusely spotti-d with chocolate-brown of various 

 shades; they vary in size, shape and markings like the birds themselves; three or 

 four in number; sizes from 1.80 to 2.10 in length by 1.25 to 1.45 in breadth. 



226. BLACK-NECKED STILT. HlmuuttiitH* nu.rimnnx (Mull.) (Jeog. Dist. 

 Temperate North America from Northern United States southward to West Indies, 

 Brazil, and Peru. 



