RECURVIROSTRIDJ: - the AVOCETS — RECURVIRdSTRA. 



341 



1, R. amerioana. Outer scnpulai-H, ruiup, and upper tail-coverts, tibo part of secoudaries and 

 "iviiter winj,'-C(>vertH, white, at all aj^es. Hub. North and Middle America. 

 ■2. R. andina.' No white whatever on ujtper parts, except Lead and neck. Jlab. Andett ol' 



Cliili. 



RecurviroBtra americana. 



AMEKICAN AVOCET. 



Eicurvirostra nmerkfUKi, Uyiv.L. S. X. I. 17»S, i>i»a. — Wilson, Am. Oiii. VIl. 1813, 126, pi. tl;!, 

 lijr. ii. _ SvTi: .Mull. 11. ls:U, 7.1. - Arn. Urn. Hio<,'. IV. 1838, 168, pi. 318 ; .Syiiop. 18;j!t, 

 2;V2; lliids Am. V1.1S13, 24, pi. 3:.3. — IS.uia., iSiids X. Am. 18,-i8, 703; (at. X. Am. 1!. 

 l»y.<, no. r.17. — <'oi-Ks, Key, 1H72, U7 ; <'link List, 1873, no. 407; 2d cd. 1882, no. tfOO. — 

 HiDow. N'oiii. N. Am. H. 1881, no. 560. 



lia-iinirmlni mriihitlii/is. Via. Zool. Jour. IV. 1820, 356 ; Zool. Voy. Blos.som, 1839, 28, pi. 12.— 

 C.VSSIN, iUustr. r>. t'al. Te.\. etc. 1855, 232, pi. 40 (= winter pliunage I). 



II.VB. Teuiperute North America; north to the Sa.ikatchewnn atid Orent Slave Lake, south 

 (ill winter) to Guatemala, Culia, and Jaiuaicii. Much rarer in the Easterti than in the We.stern 

 I'l'dvinco. 



Si'. t'HAR. Win},'s (except secondaries, terminal half of {{rcatcr coverts, and inner secondarie."*), 

 iiiiicr scapulars, and adjoinin,;,' leathers of the back, hrownish lilack ; lower parts, rump, outer .scaj)- 

 iilais, and middle of the hack white; tail asliy white or pale ashy. Ailiilf in nmnmcr : Head, 

 luck, and lueast, lij^lit cinnamon, liecomiii;,' white around the hill and fadin;,' jiradually into the 

 while of the body. Tulials brownish gray. Adult (and ijoiukj) in winter: Head, neck, and 



/t^-"-- 



breast, white, more or less tinged with pale blui.sh gray, especially on crown and nape. Yovng: 

 Priiiiiiries slij^htly tipjied with whitish ; scaimlai's and feathers of back tippeil or transversely 

 iiioitled with pale fulvous or liulf. Crown dull grayish ; nape tinged with light rufous. Total 

 Icii.uth, about IT.tK) to 18.75 inches ; extent, 3().(H> to IJti.lM) ; Wing, 8.5()-9.(Xl ; culmen, 3.-i(>-3.()5 ; 

 tarsus, :j.7()-3.8() ; middle toe, l.()()-1.7t>. Bill deep black ; iris umber-brown ; legs and feet ashy 



blue. 



The intensity of the cinnamon-color on the head and neck varies with the individual; some- 

 times there is a dusky gray suffusion around the eye, this lieing especially characteristic of younger 



binls. 



The American Avoeet is a bird of iircifiilar or occasional appearance in various 

 liortions of North America, tintl is found in most of the Southern States in greater or 

 li'ss abundance during the winter months, breeding in numerous U)calities along the 

 .Vtlautic coast as far nortli as Long Island, and also, under favoring circumstances, 

 tliidughout the interior, at least as far south as Southwestern Texas. It is abundant 



' P'cnrviroslra andina, Piiilifim & La.ndbeck, Wiegm, Arth. 1863, 131, — Harti.vo, Ibis, 1874, 

 257, pi. 9. 



