VOL. vin.] BREEDING-HABITS OF AVOCETS. 59 



from this cause, as there were no marks of violence 

 upon them. 



Only one couple of Httle Avocets were running about 

 under the bank of a big drain, their covering of down 

 being of so light a buff that it might almost have 

 been white, their long black bills even at that early 

 stage showing the upward curve of those of the mature 

 birds. 



AVOCET TUR>riNG HER EGGS BEFORE SETTLING DOWN ON THEM. 

 {Photographed by Miss M. G. S. Best.) 



The nesting Avocets were easy birds to photograph, 

 and returned quickly to their eggs after being disturbed 

 — the only exception I noticed being one bird not very 

 far from a Tern's nest, which fled from her eggs on the 

 slightest alarm and remained in the distance calling 

 in an agitated way. 



The bird I photographed alighted at a Uttle distance 

 behind the nest, and approached warily, calUng as she 

 came, pausing every few steps to jerk her head and 

 body, much in the same way that a Redshank does. 



