90 GRALLATORES. RECURVIROSTRA. Avocer. 
has given an interesting and detailed description of the form 
and habits of an American species) was considered so closely 
approaching to Recurvirostra, as to induce him to place it 
in that genus, rather than in the family of the Charadriade, 
to which, as an aberrant form, it more properly belongs. 
This genus, as far as it is at present known, contains four 
species, only one of which is European, They are the in- 
habitants of the muddy shores of the ocean, and more par- 
ticularly of the estuaries of rivers, where they obtain a plen- 
tiful supply of food in the sediment brought down from the 
interior, and upon which soft substance they are supported 
by their palmated feet. Their food consists of minute aqua- 
tic insects, the lesser univalve and bivalve mollusca, and the 
spawn of fishes. ‘They form their nests upon the ground in 
sea-marshes. When feeding, they frequently wade deep in 
the pools, or on the edges of rivers, but never swim volun- 
tarily; and, from observations which have been made, they 
appear unable to use their legs and feet for this,purpose with 
much effect. Their flight is strong and rapid. Their moult 
appears to be simple; and the sexes exhibit no difference in 
plumage. 
SCOOPING AVOCET. 
Recurvirostra AvoceTra, Linn. 
PLATE XX. 
Recurvirostra Avocetta, Linn. Syst. 1. 256. 1.—Gmel. Syst. 1. 693.—LZath. 
Ind. Orn. 2. 786. 1.—Raii Syn. 117. A. 1.—Will. 240. t. 60,—Id (Angl.) 
321.—Flem. Br. Anim. l. 101. sp. 135.—Shaw’s Zool. 12. 170. pl. 22. 
L’Avocette, Buff: Ois. 8. 466. t. 38. 
Avocette 4 Nuque noire, Temm. Man. d’Ornith. 2. 590. 
Der blaufiissige Wasser Sabler, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. 450. t. 25. f. 2. 
Scooping Avocet, Penn. Br. Zool. 2. 504. No. 228.—Arct. Zool. 2. 503.— 
Albin. Br. Birds, |. pl. 101.—ZLath. Syn. 5. 293. 1.—1d. Sup. 263.—Mont. 
Ornith. Dict. 
Avocet, Lewin’s Br. Birds, 6. 202.—Bewick’s Br. Birds, 2. 158. 
Common Avocet, Shaw’s Zool. 12. 173. pl. 22. 
Provinciat—Butterflip, Scooper, Yelper, Picarini, Cobler’-awl, 
Srooked-bill. 
