274 



Hind toe present ; bill black, strong, straight, and pointed, shorter than 

 head ; chin and throat pure white. 



In spring. Back and wings marked with chestnut and black ; loicer back 

 and rump ichite, the latter crossed by a black band ; legs and feet orange- 

 red. 



In winter, chestnut colour absent ; legs pale red. Length 9^ inches. 



SCOLOPACIDJE. 



297. Recurvirostra avocetta, Linnaeus. The Avocet. 



Moorish. Bou-am-hait. Spanish. Avoceta. 



" This species is not common in the vicinity of Tangier, being 

 only met with on passage, on the edges of rivers and lakes, in 

 small flights, which pass northwards during March, April, and 

 May and return south in November." Favier. 



I never met with the Avocet near Gibraltar. In some seasons 

 many nest in some parts of the marismas during the month of 

 May, and specimens of both eggs and birds are occasionally 

 brought into Seville. 



Bill black, curved upwards and pointed. 



White, except crown to below eye, hind neck, primaries, and some of 

 the inner secondaries and wing-coverts, which are black ; legs and the 

 partially webbed feet light blue ; iris red. 



Young. Crown and hind neck brown. Length 18 inches. 



298. Himantopus candidus, Bonnaterre. The Black-winged 



Stilt. 



Moorish. Bou-ksaiba (Favier) *. Spanish. Cigiienela. 



" This bird is not found close to Tangier, but frequents fresh- 

 water lakes further south, where many remain for the breeding- 

 saason; others, arriving during the month of April, pass on 

 northwards and return in November. They appear to migrate 

 by night." Favier. 



* " Ksaiba " is diminutive of " Kaaba," a reed, and probabty applies to the thin 

 legs of this Stilt, not to their aquatic habits. 



