AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 283 



and are heavily lined, spotted and blotched with blackish brown. Full 

 complements may be found during the latter part of May. A favorite 

 location for the nest is in the grass bordering some lake or stream. 



HABITS. 



In relation to the size of the bird, the Black-necked Stilts have long- 

 er legs than any others of our waders. The long, red, slender, stilt- 

 like appendages seem scarcely able to support the weight of their own- 

 er, yet these waders are very graceful and strut and run about with the 

 ease of their shorter legged companions. Their food is made up of in- 

 sect, larvae, worms, small Crustacea, etc. When securing their food 

 they frequently may be seen standing in water up to their body and it 

 is necessary for them to submerge their head, when they can reach the 

 bottom with their long sensitive bills. Their wings are very long and 

 swallow-like, reaching beyond the tail when folded. Their flight is 

 very easy, swift, and graceful. Like a great many of the waders they 

 have the habit of skimming first on one side, then on the other, thus al- 

 ternately exposing their black back and white under parts; a flock of 

 these birds on the wing therefore makes a very striking sight as the white 

 and black flashes in kaleidescopic fashion. The long lanke red legs are 

 carried straight behind them and extend far beyond the end of the 

 tail. Although frequently single pairs nest in a locality they usually 

 go in quite large flocks and in some sections of the country where they 

 breed several nests may be in sight at the same time. 



Having only rudimentary webs to their toes, they are poor swimmers, 

 although frequently they will swim across a shallow inlet, making slow 

 progress until their long legs touch the bottom of the other side, when 

 they again assume their attitudes of grace. 



Because of their striking appearance rather than any qualities that 

 they have as table birds, they are killed whenever the opportunity 

 occurs. In localities where they are frequently shot at, they become 

 very shy, otherwise their numbers would be a great deal less than they 

 now are. In open pond holes where they can see for some distance 

 they will rarely allow a gunner to get within gunshot but in places 

 where the tall grass grows up to the edge of the water they will often 

 hide rather than fly and will not startup until nearly stepped upon, when 

 they will take wing and double a turn to gei out of the way meanwhile - 

 uttering a sharp, metallic whistle. 



