THE AMERICAN AVOCET. 537 



According to Nelson, small flocks of this Curlew will follow a single 

 Hudsonian Curlew all over the country, in the same manner in which smaller 

 species of snipe will follow one of a larger kind, and he supposes it is on 

 account of their dependance on the superior watchfulness of the larger bird, 

 and the degree of protection thereby secured. 



No. 252. 



AMERICAN AVOCET. 



A. O. U. No. 225. Recurvirostra americana Gmel. 



Description. Adult in summer: Head and neck all around and breast light 

 cinnamon rufous; wing-quills and coverts (except inner secondaries and tips of 

 greater coverts) deep brownish black; back, inner scapulars, and inner quills, 

 lighter brownish black; remaining plumage, including outer scapulars, rump, tail, 

 etc., white ; tail tinged with ashy ; bill long, slightly recurved toward tip, black ; 

 legs dull blue. Adult in winter: Similar but without cinnamon-rufous, white 

 instead ; tinged with pale bluish ash, especially on the top of head and hind-neck. 

 Immature : Like winter adult, but hind neck touched with rufous ; scapulars, etc., 

 buffy-tipped, or mottled; wing-quills tipped with whitish. Length 16.00-19.00 

 (406.4-482.6); wing 8.82 (224.); tail 3.90 (99.1); bill 3.72 (94.5); tarsus 

 3-66 (93.)- 



Recognition Marks. Crow size ; long legs ; black and white and cinnamon- 

 rufous in masses ; long, slightly upturned bill. 



Nesting. Not known to breed in Ohio. Nest, a mere depression in the earth, 

 in or near a swamp. Eggs, 3-4, pale olive or olive-buff, heavily and rather uni- 

 formly spotted with chocolate-brown and black. Av. size, 1.95 x 1.35 (49-5 

 X34-3)- 



General Range. Temperate North America north to the Saskatchewan and 

 Great Slave Lake; in winter south to Guatemala and the West Indies. Rare in 

 the eastern United States. 



Range in Ohio. Very rare visitor. Two or three records. One specimen 

 secured at St. Mary's Reservoir, Nov. 10, 1882, by Mr. Clemens Utter, now in O. 

 S. U. collection. 



TO a novice the compound curve of a scythe handle might seem an 

 awkward thing, but a little practice upon stubborn grass will justify its pre- 

 cise lines of beauty. Similarly, the long upturned beak of the Avocet appears 

 quite outlandish until one learns how perfectly it is adapted to its peculiar 

 task. Since the bird frequents brackish and muddy pools, as well as the 

 margins of streams, it does not depend largely upon eyesight in securing its 

 prey, but thrusts its bill under water until its convexity strikes the bottom. 

 Then, guided by this "heel," the bill is swayed rapidly from side to side with 



