BLACK-NECKED STILT. 369 



Colon. Adult. Foreiirad to eye, line hack ..fry, lower i-ycliil, rump, up|>er tail coverts, tail, and under portions, 

 white; under win;; coverts and remaining portions, Mack with n purplish luster. 



Yovn;;. ( t >uite similar to tin- adult but tlie black markings are nut as cl'car and tlic tail i- tin^-d with ashy. Iri- and 

 legs, red, and bill, black, in all s! 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Iteiidily known liy the nearly straight bill, long legs, and abs <,.,-, .fliind tocand prominent toe membrane. Distribu- 

 ted in ^ummer, throughout the United States. Kare on the F.a-icrn eoul north i.f'the Carolinas, wintering sou ti 

 United bm 



DIMENSIONS 



A \eraire measurement- of specimen* fruni Florida. Ix>n::th, ll'ti.".; tretch, -J-,-70; winjr, 8'75; tail, :> 115; bill, 2(50; 

 tarsia. 1'7-J. l.on_;e-t sp,., in ,,.. 15-00: greatest extent of win:;, _>-*-:>0, J<m:_'est win;;. It'OO; tail. 3-75; bill, "-'I; tarsus, 

 4'50. Shortest specimen, II -J;<; smallest extent of win-, 35 it win-. 7 :> I; nil, .>;>,); bill, i 15; tarsus, 3'!>(>. 



nKSCKIl'TION (IK NKSTS AM) KiiCS. 



/:/.'/' J'l'K'ed on the ground in n slight depression of the soil, three or four in number, rather pyriform in shape, ashy- 

 yellow in color, spotted. Mulcted, and lined irr.-^idarly and cjuite tbickly, but seldom coarsely, will) ycllowish-browii ..(' 

 varying abodes. Dimensions from ri5xr5-Jto 1 '^5 x !?(>. 



II \1!ITS. 



On the fifteenth of March, the Black-necked Stilts made tln.-ir first appearance at Salt 

 Lake in Middle Florida. At first there were but one or two pairs, then they came pour- 

 in. u 1 in, and soon, whenever I walked over the marshes, their harsh cries resounded on all 

 sides. This was my first acquaintance with the bird and I spent many hours watching 

 their singular movements, until they became perfectly familiar to me, but they always in- 

 terested me and I often found myself observing them, even after I had lived among them 

 for months. 



As may readily be inferred from a glance at the birds, the Black-necked Stilts run 

 very rapidly but in the midst of their career, they will pause suddenly, bend their Ion- legs, 

 and pick up something from the ground, then oil' again al'ter more food. Their favorite 

 method <>!' feeding, however, was to wade in the shallow pools, often becoming submerged to 

 the body, and I have frequently seen them wading in this manner among flocks of Ducks, 

 consisting of several species. When alarmed while in the water, they will rai-e their long 

 wings and rise as lightly as if on the land. After they have finished their meal, they re- 

 turn to the shore and squat quietly down in groups but each individual faces the wiii'L 

 pccially if it be blowing hard. They are not shy birds as a rule, allowing one to approach 

 within a few yards, but if the intruder go too near, they will give a bow or two, as if bal- 

 ancing themselves, then rise with a harsh scream which becomes continuous when they arc 

 badly frightened. 



On the marshes of Indian River, there are certain spots, especially near the water, uu 

 which vegetation never grows. Early in April, I observed that the Stilts were frequent- 

 ing these places and on the twenty-third, found the birds noting on them, the egox lieing 

 placed on the naked soil in a slight depression. It was quite easy to find the eggs, afi the 

 birds would not start until I was close to them and if I did not at first perceive where one 

 got up, I had only to retreat a short distance, when the unsuspicious bird would quietly 

 walk back to her nest, bend her long legs, and sit down. The note, at this time, was quite 

 different from that given earlier in the season, as they now littered short syllables .-niiiid- 

 ing like put, put, jtut, repeated rapidly, that of the males being harsh, while the females 



47 



