256 THE AVOSETTvi. 



of killing them but by the aid of their arrows and 

 bows, the fatal effects of which the bird contrived to 

 elude ; but when the fowler discharged his piece 

 among them, they appeared too much alarmed to be 

 capable of flight ; and, though their companions were 

 dropping before them, the uninjured remained motion- 

 less and unmoved. 



The nests of these birds are curiously constructed, 

 and formed of mud scraped together about a foot and 

 a half above the surface of the pool, which has the 

 appearance of those pots which are placed upon the 

 top of chimnies for the purpose of conducting up the 

 smoke. In this hole the female deposits two eggs, 

 without lining it with any thing to keep the young 

 ones warm, who are a long time before they are ca- 

 pable of flying, though they soon are able to run with 

 the utmost fleetness and strength. 



THE AVOSETTA, OR SCROOPER; AND THE COR- 

 v RIKA, OR RUNNER. 



The avosetta is chiefly found in Italy, though in 

 England it has occasionally been seen. The body is not 

 larger than that of a pigeon-; but the legs are remark- 

 ably long for its size ; and, above the knee, it is bare 

 of feathers, which proves it has the habit of wading 

 in the stream ; yet its history is imperfectly related, 

 though time and observation may make it better 

 known. The bill differs from all other of the fea- 

 thered species, by turning up like a hook, just the re- 

 verse way of a hawk's ; it is black, flat, sharp, yet flexi- 

 ble, and measures about three inches and a half in 

 length : it is web-footed, like a duck ,* but, from the 

 slenderncss of its figure, we have ventured to rank it 

 anions the cranes. 



