DESCRIPTIVE LIST 121 



Range. North and South America, breeding mainly north of the United States; winters 

 in South America, south of the equator. 



Range in North Carolina. So far only taken in Currituck County. 



A Wilson's Phalarope was collected on the beach opposite Knott's Island, Curri- 

 tuck County, by R. B. Lawrence, August 17, 1908. The specimen is preserved in 

 the bird-collection of the American Museum of Natural History, New York City. 

 One was taken by Jasper B. White on Currituck beach, opposite Church's Island, 

 on August 25, 1910. The bird was identified by W. L. McAtee, of the United States 

 Biological Survey. Another specimen was killed by Jasper B. White on Currituck 

 Sound, September 13, 1911. (W. L. McAtee in letter, Oct. 14, 1911.) Frederick 

 William Kobbe in The Auk for January, 1912, places on record the following: 

 "Immature birds in winter plumage were shot near Currituck lighthouse, North 

 Carolina, by Mr. Whitlock and Mr. Nourve on September 7, September 8 (two), 

 and September 12, 1911. A well-marked female was taken by me September 14. 

 This bird was so tame that it allowed me almost to touch it before it flew away in 

 a zigzag manner. An old gunner at Currituck had never seen these birds before." 



FIG. 82. WILSON'S PHALAROPE. 

 19. FAMILY RECURVIROSTRID>. AVOCETS AND STILTS 



A small family of birds allied to the sandpipers and snipes, but with the legs 

 excessively long, and the bill very slender, long and acute. 



There are only two American genera, each represented in North America by a 

 single species, both of which have been taken rarely in our State. 



KEY TO GENERA 



1. Toes 4, the front ones full webbed; bill recurved, tapering to a fine point. Recurvirostra. 

 1. Toes 3, semipalmate; bill nearly straight. Himantopus. 



Genus Recurvirostra (Linn.) 

 100. Recurvirostra americana (Gmel.}. AVOCET. 



Description. Bill slender, recurved. Ads. in summer. Head and neck cinnamon-rufous; 

 back and tail white, scapulars and primaries black; middle coverts, tips of the greater ones, 

 and part of the secondaries white; belly white, bill turned upward. Ads. in winter and juv. 

 Generally similar, but head and neck white or pearl-gray. L., 16.50; W., 9.00; Tar., 3.75; 

 B. 3.75. (Chap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



