504 AVOCET. RALLID.E, OR RAILS. 



water-courses it frequents, has some resemblance to mowing. It 

 moves forwards with slow but rather lengthy steps ; and scoops 

 the ooze or mud in curves, right and left, as it proceeds. The 

 traces of its scoopings may be seen in the places where the Bird 

 has been feeding ; until they are effaced by the tide. In this 

 action it does not move the bill alone, but the whole body ; 

 stretching it on either side from the fixed point in the feet, so 

 that the bill has a very wide range, considering its length, which 

 is about 34 inches. The Avocet was formerly not uncommon in 

 England ; but it is now rare, even in the fenny districts. It 

 abounds, however, in Holland; and is diffused over Europe, 

 Asia, and Africa. It is not properly a migrating Bird ; but 

 frequents the inland fens and saline marshes during the breeding 

 season ; and resorts to the neighbourhood of the shore in winter, 

 for a better supply of food. 



452. We have lastly to notice the family of RALLID.E, or 

 Rails; in which we find many of the characters of the next 



order. The toes 

 are long and slen- 

 der ; the hind one 

 is placed on a level 

 with the others ; 

 and they often 

 have a membra- 

 nous margin along 

 their sides, by 

 which their surface 

 is extended for 

 swimming, or for 

 treading on oozy 

 ground (Fig. 288). 

 Their bodies, too, 

 are generally com- 

 pressed ; so as to move with greater facility through the water, 

 or to make their way through closely-set herbage. The family 

 includes, however, Birds of considerable variety of structure and 

 habit ; from the diving and swimming Coot to the terrestrial 



