RECURVIROSTRID^ — THE STILTS — HIMANTOPUS. 



349 



average size of the latter was 1.75 by 1.19 ; the extremes were 1.88 by 1.25, and 1.60 

 by 1.10. 



Two sets of the eggs of this species (S. I. jS'o. 747 and 6(55) — one from Matamo- 

 ras, Mexico, procured by Lieutenant Couch, the other by Dr. Wiirdemann at Calca- 

 sieu Pass, La. — measure 1.73 by 1.20 inches, and have a ground-color of dark drab, 

 some with a rufous, others with an olivaceous, tinge. In other examples these 

 shades are more or less intermingled, and they are spotted and blotched with a dark 

 bistre hardly distinguishable from black. 



An egg in my cabinet, collected by Mr. IST. W. Bishop on the Pampas of South 

 America, belonging to the southern species (H. brasiliensis), measures 1.80 by 1.30 

 inches, but, except in its larger size, is not apprecyably different from the eggs of 

 the North American species. 



