SCOLOPACIDJE. 193 



of the Eggs of British Birds/ now before us ; in which the 

 egg of this species is of a yellowish ground-colour, with 

 bold markings of grey and deep-brown, approaching to 

 black. Prom the caution usually exercised by this gentle- 

 man in authenticating the eggs which he introduces, or in 

 introducing only such examples as are probably authentic, 

 we have much confidence in his representations ; and in the 

 present instance the added authority of Mr. Wolley (a name 

 of considerable weight in connection with subjects of this 

 nature), increases our confidence. In a paragraph appended 

 to the introd action to his volumes, Mr. Hewitson says : 

 " Mr. Wolley has sent me several eggs of the Long-legged 

 Plover" (a synonym for the present species), "purchased 

 by him at Tangier, which agree with my figure, except that 

 they are more pointed at the smaller end, and more like 

 eggs of the other Scolopacidse." To which we may subjoin 

 that the figure given in the Eev. P. 0. Morris's work agrees 

 very nearly with that given by Mr. Hewitson. 



THE AVOSET. Recurvirostra avosetta. The Avoset is a 

 handsome bird, and differs remarkably from every other 

 British species in the singular form of the bill, which is 

 lengthened, and bends upwards at the tip. It was formerly 

 of much more frequent occurrence than it has been of late, 



o 



