AVOSETT. TURNSTONE. 167 



GENUS LXXVIII. RECURVIROSTRA (CURVED-BILL). 



SPECIES 159 THE AVOSETT. 

 Recurvirostra avosetta. Selby. 

 Avocette a nuque noir. Temm. 



Scooper. Cobbler's Awl. 



THIS species, equally remarkable in its form as the preceding, 

 resembles it in being another of our rarest African visitants, 

 having only been obtained in a few instances in our island. 



Interesting as is the stiltshank to the ornithologist, from 

 the elongation of the tarsi, this species is not less so from the 

 curious shape of the bill, turned up in a contrary way from 

 the generality "of the species, and for which peculiarity it has 

 obtained its appellation of avosett or scooper. 



In Rutty's History of the County Dublin the occurrence 

 of one of these birds is noted : " A. D. 1767, in winter, was 

 4iot in the Lotts, near the North Wall, by Robert Bevin, sex- 

 'ion of Christ Church, a bird very rarely found here, being 

 properly an Italian bird, called l avosetta and beccostorto,' 

 from its bill generally three and a half inches long, and often 

 turned up for half its length." 



Since that time the avocett has been obtained in eight or 

 nine instances along the southern and western portions of the 

 island. 



In this genus we observe the toes differing from all the 

 other species in the family, being connected with webs, sug- 

 gesting the idea of the bird being able to support itself 

 easily on the soft slimy marshes where it obtains its food, a 

 peculiarity which, according to Degland, enables it to swim 

 with the greatest agility.* 



Habitat Northern Africa. 



GENUS LXXIX. STREPSILAS (TURNSTONE). 



SPECIES 160 THE TURNSTONE. 



Strepsilas interpres. Leach. 

 Tourne pierre a collier. Temm. 



Sea-lark. 



THE TURNSTONE, a bird of considerable interest in its habits, 

 is only a winter visitant to our shores, and although not found 



* Ornithologie Europeerme. 



