348 



PR.TinMMAL URAM.ATortKM- MMiniL.K. 



mIow stt'pM, iiM if iiu'iiMuriiiK tin- k>'*i»i>iI< <"' "■"* '* tViuliil nl iiijiiiiiiK tlii-ir Imij; and 

 Hlfiulfr liiiihs. Tlii'ii' ery is (U'HciilH'd as Im-Imk Icrlili' ami nuiI. 



Wilsnii. wlio liail a kihmI (i|i|M)rtimity U>v oltscrviiiK tin- lialiits ol' tliis hird on fh.. 

 st-a-roant ol' New .Iciscy, statrs tlial it anives tliiif. alxnit tlit- L'.'itli id Ajtiil. in Nhiidl 

 Hocks of twenty or thirty. snUlividinK into snuillfr parties, assoeiatin^ ilminK 'li'' 

 remainder of tlie season in small companies (d two or tlirec pairs. It inlialiits tlir 

 upper portions of the salt-marshes near the uplands, w in-re are numerous shallmv 

 po(ds alxive all hut tin- hi^'hest tides. These poolti uhound with minute sludlli>li, 

 iKpiiitie inseets, with the larva-, e^^'s, and spawn of various fiu-nis of nnirim- life; imd 

 upon these the Stilt ihietly leeils. A small party (d a dozen or incu'e usually niidM' 

 their stay in the thick j,'rass in the vicinity (d' suidi localities, and there con.stinrt 

 their nests. These are at first sli|.,ditly formed (d a Hinall <|uantity of dry k*">>\ 

 hardly cnou^di to keep the c^'i^s from the damp f^round. As incuiiation f^oes on. ilic 

 nest is increased liy the addition of dry twij^s, roots of the salt-^rass, seawei'd, imd 

 various other sulistanees. until iiuite a hiilky nest is fornu'd. 'I"he e^^'s are usually 

 four in numher, and ih-scrihed liy him as of a dark yellowish (day-color, thickly 

 marked with lar^fc blotcdics (d' Itlai k. They are (dtcn jdaccd within fifteen ny twenty 

 yards of catdi other, and in the little colony the ^'reatest harmony appears to prcvaU. 

 While the females are sittinj,', their imites are usually feeding' in the adjoining 

 marshes; lint if any peisoii jipproaches their nests, they all cidlect in the air. fl,\iii,\' 

 with their lonj? lef,'s extcmled hehind them, and keep up a continued yidpin^,' nutc 

 of r/!r/c<'l!rl--tf!r/,: At the same time they droo]i their win^s, stand with their lc.;s 

 half-hent and trendilin;^'. as if nnalile to keep tliemsidves ereid. and lialancing their 

 bodies with ^,'reat ditliculty. These mano'uvrcs arc uniloid)teilly desi^,'ned to turn tlic 

 attention <d' the intruder from their ej,'j,'s to themselves. If in wadin;; this iiinl 

 ( liances to yet into the water In-yond its depth, it can swim a short distance as ui 11 

 as the Avocet. It is known to .liMsey Inuitcrs liy tlu' names of <'Tilt.'' '•Stilt." 

 and " Lou^'slianks." It occasion;d]y visits the ujdands. and wades in fresh-wati !■ 

 ponds in seandi of food, wliicdi it scoops up very dexterously with its (hdieattdy-fornicd 

 hill, the extremities of which arc soft, and ]irovi(h'd with tine nervous luemhrancs, 

 enahlinj,' it to detect its food at once. The .Stilt raises onjy a single hrood, and departs 

 south I'arl}' in Septend)cr. 



According to Audid»on. a few of this sjiecies winter in J^ouisiana ;ind in Florida, 

 hut the greater jiortion jtrocpcd beyond our soutliern limits. In 1S.'57 this binl made 

 its first appearance near (lalvestou in April, in .small flocks of seven or eight, keeiMii;,' 

 near the small, shallow, brackish jtonds wlierc it sought its food; it is then more shy 

 than while breeding, and \itters a whistling cry different from its notes of di.strcss 

 when nesting. It iiie.s in a rapid manner, with regular Ijoats of the wings and with 

 extended neck and legs, and walks with a tirm gait, the staggering mentioned h,v 

 Wilson a.s noticed when breeding Ixung simulated, and not re.al. This species is not 

 common along th<' shores of the Carolinas. Its food is said to consist of insects, 

 small Crustacea, worms, the young fry of fishes, ami the small Libelluhe, 



The Stilt probably breeds in all the (iulf States, in favorable situations. Dresser 

 noticed it at Matamoras in July. On the L'd of dune, 18fi4. he saw two jiairs on 

 Galveston Island; and on the 4th of July, after a lieaNy fall of rain, this bird all nt 

 once appeared in abundance in the flooded lands near San Antonio. Dr. Merrill, wlm 

 had a still better opportunity of observing its habits in the same region, speaks of if 

 as being both common and resident there. It breeds in the marshes in May, makin.; 

 its nests on wet grassy flats, and laying three or four eggs. The nests Avere platform^ 

 of straAV and grass, often wet, and barely keeping the eggs out of the water. The 



