GLEANINGS. 609 



represented by the largest, darkest and most brilliant speci- 

 mens of our domesticated Turkey, was formerly of general 

 distribution in Eastern North America, but is rapidly disap- 

 pearing from the more cleared and cultivated parts. Our 

 more common and lighter domesticated specimens are the 

 descendants of the Mexican variety. 



The Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus albus), some 16 inches 

 long, white, with a black tail, in winter, and dark in summer, 

 is a bird of British America, occasionally reaching the 

 northernmost parts of the United States. The Rock Ptar- 

 migan (L. rupestris), similarly colored in winter and in 

 summer, except the black line through the eye, is a little 

 smaller, and much more boreal in habitat. 



Wilson's Plover (^Egialitis wilsonia) some 7.50 long, ashy- 

 brown above; band on the crown and belt around the breast, 

 black (grayish-brown in the female and young); under 

 parts, and forehead, and eye-brows, white is a southern 

 species, reaching New Jersey in the north. 



The Oyster Catcher (Hamatopus palliatus] has about the 

 same habitat as the former. About 17.50 long, with a long 

 wedge-shaped bill; the head and neck are blackish; the back 

 grayish-brown; under parts from the breast, rump, most of 

 the secondaries, tips of large wing-coverts and base of tail, 

 white ; bill and eye-lids, red or orange ; legs, flesh-color. 

 The nest is a hollow in the sand, with a little grass; the 2-4 

 eggs, 2.20X1.52, oval in form, are creamy or white, heavily 

 marked with brown. 



The Avocet (Recurvirostra americand), 16.62 long, long- 

 legged body, white, with dark red head and neck, and back 

 and wings mostly black, is known by its long, slender, 

 pointed, decidedly upturned bill, its hind toe and small 

 webbed feet. This curiously formed species is numerous 

 west of the Mississippi in summer, breeding abundantly in 

 39 



