THE AVOCETS. 185 



hemispheres. In addition to the up-turned bill, the lower 

 edge of which is flattened, the Avocets are distinguished by 

 the presence of a hind-toe, and by having the base of the toes 

 distinctly united by a web. 



I. THE AVOCET. RECURVIROSTRA AVOCETTA. 



Rccuruirostra avocetta^ Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 256 (1766); 



Macgill. Brit. B. iv. p. 306 (1852); Dresser, B. Eur. vii. 



P- 577, pl- 534 (1875); B. O. U. List Brit. B, p. 162 



(1883) ; Saunders, ed. YarrelFs Brit. B. iii. p. 299 (1883); 



id. Man Brit B. p, 545 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. 



B. part xiii. (1890) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxiv. 



p. 326 (1896) 



Himantopus avocetta^ Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 74 (1885). 

 (Plate LXXXIL) 



Adult Male. General colour above varied with black and 

 white ; the upper part of the mantle and scapulars black ; the 

 rest of the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts pure white, as 

 also the outer scapulars, which form a white band on each 

 side of the lateral black bands on the back ; small wing-coverts 

 along the carpal edge of the wing white; median coverts black, 

 forming a broad band down the wing; bastard-wing and 

 greater coverts pure white, primary-coverts white with black 

 tips, the inner ones pure white ; outer primaries blackish with 

 white at the base, the inner ones pure white as well as the 

 secondaries, the innermost secondaries blackish ; tail-feathers 

 pale ashy-grey, the outermost feathers whitish ; crown of head 

 black, extending in a broad line to the hind-neck ; lores also 

 blackish, and also the feathers below the eye ; sides of face and 

 ear-coverts, sides of neck, and entire under surface of body, in- 

 cluding the under wing-coverts, axillaries, and quill-lining, pure 

 white ; bill black ; feet and toes pale blue ; iris reddish-brown. 

 Total length, i6'5 inches; oilmen, 3-3; wing, 8'6; tail, 3; 

 tarsus, 3. 



Adult Female. Similar to the male in plumage. Total length, 

 17 inches; culmen, 3-15; wing, 9; tail, 3-55; tarsus, 3-3. 



"Winter Plumage. Both the old and young birds appear tc 

 have the white of the upper-parts sullied with grey, and the 



