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AVOCET. 



SCOOPER. COMMON AVOCET. SCOOPING AVOCET. TELPER. 

 CROOKED-BILL. COBBLER's-AWL DUCK. 



Recurvirostra avocetta, FLEMING. SELBY. 



" avosetta, PEN KANT. MONTAGU. 



Recvrmrostra. Recurvus Crooked bent. 

 Rostrum The beak of a bird. Avocetta . 



THIS bird, unique, as far at least as our country is con- 

 cerned, in the singularity of its appearance, is in Europe 

 plentiful in the north of Holland and on the shores of the 

 Baltic, and also occurs in Sweden, Russia, Holstein, Hungary, 

 Switzerland, Spain, France, and Italy. In Africa it has been 

 found from Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope; and in Asia 

 in Siberia, Asia Minor, and India; the neighbourhood of 

 the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and in Tartary. 



In Yorkshire, two were formerly obtained on Skipwith 

 Common, near Selby; several have been met with near Spurn 

 Point, and on other parts of the coast, and the banks of the 

 Humber. 



Sir Thomas Browne has recorded that Avocets were common 

 in his time in Norfolk; and within the present generation, 

 as many as twenty are said to have been received within one 

 month of one year, in Leadenhall market. They used to 

 frequent the marshes at Winterton; a pair were taken at 

 Yarmouth, the 22nd. of April, 1852; two also in the month 

 of June, 1851. It used to be more common there on 

 Breydon, but has of late years become more rare. It has 

 been known to breed at Salthouse. One was obtained in the 

 spring of 1837. They were formerly also met with on the 

 Durham coast. A specimen was shot some years since at 



