ROSEATE STILT. 387 



ran actively enough, without the slightest vacilla- 

 tion, taking long strides; but when it was on its 

 belly, it could not get on its legs without help, 

 sprawling about with opened wings : it is quite 

 likely, however, that this was owing to one wing 

 being rendered useless, for in attempting to rise, 

 I perceived, it always tried to balance itself by 

 opening and extending horizontally the wings. 

 Probably this is the compensation given to it by 

 the Allwise Creator, for the want of purchase 

 which must be felt in raising the body at the 

 end of levers, so long and so slender as the legs. 

 It frequently stopped abruptly, essayed to go on, 

 and stopped again, in that hesitating manner com- 

 mon to the Plovers ; and like them it often jerked 

 the head up and down. Its usual attitude, when 

 standing still, was with the neck shortened, so 

 that the head projected from between the shoulders, 

 the beak pointing obliquely downwards, and the 

 hinder parts of the body a little elevated. Now 

 and then it lifted one foot, and held it dangling 

 behind the other for a few seconds. Once or twice 

 I saw it pick at the floor, and probably it took 

 a small insect. Its cry, which was uttered once 

 or twice, was a short clan/c, loud, harsh, and abrupt. 

 I cannot by any means agree with Wilson, that 

 this bird manifests no resemblance to the Plovers. 



The stomachs of these contained a few small 

 shells, Turbo and Nerita : two which Robinson 

 dissected contained "a kind of Cornu-ammonis" 

 probably Planorbis. He notices also, what I have 

 not seen mentioned in print, but which was con- 



s 2 



