MARSH BIRDS 119 



ured tread, not in a "tremulous manner," says Colonel 

 Goss, as stated by some writers. 



The stilt is an inhabitant of temperate North America 

 from New Brunswick, Maine, Miimesota, and Oregon 

 southward; south in winter to Peru, Brazil, and West 

 Indies. 



This slender wader inhabits the shores of bays, ponds, 

 and swales where scantily covered with short grasses. It 

 swims buoyantly and gracefully, and on land runs swiftly, 

 with partially raised wings, readily tacking or stopping in 

 its chase after insect life. Its flight, says Goss, is not very 

 swift, but strong and steady, with sweeping strokes, legs 

 fully extended, and head partially drawn back, after the 

 maimer of the avocet, and, like the latter, will often meet 

 one a long distance from its nest, scolding and threatening. 



The food of the Black-necked Stilt consists of insects, 

 minute shellfish, and larvse, and various small forms of life. 

 The birds are social, usually living and breeding in small 

 flocks. 



The nests of these birds — when placed on dry, sandy 

 land — are slight depressions worked out to fit the body; on 

 wet lands they are upon bunches or masses of vegetation. 

 Eggs, three or four, buff to brownish-olive, irregularly but 

 rather thickly splashed and spotted with blackish brown. 



