THE STILT-WALKERS. 49 



in great numbers for the London market. The Red Godwits are usually met with in small parties, 

 and generally occupy the muddy banks of river mouths or the oozy shores of sea inlets, as such spots 

 afford a rich supply of the worms, small molluscs, and aquatic animals upon which they subsist. In 

 April the males acquire their full beauty of plumage, and at once retire as far north as Iceland, 

 Lapland, and Sweden to breed. Upon the wing their movements are powerful, though not very rapid. 

 If disturbed they utter a cry somewhat resembling the bleat of a goat. We are almost entirely 

 without reliable particulars respecting the incubation of this bird, 



THE BLACK-WINGED STILT. 

 The Black-winged Stilt (Hypsibates himantopus, or Himantopus melanopterus) has a small slight 

 body, slender neck, moderate-sized head, and a long, weak, straight bill, which is broad and soft at its 

 base, rounded at the culmen, and curved at its slender tip ; the high, weak, and unusually long foot is 

 unfeathered, and furnished with three toes ; these are connected by a short skin, and armed with 

 small, slender, sharp claws. The long, pointed wings have the first quill very considerably longer than 

 the rest ; the medium-sized tail is composed of twelve feathers. The short compact plumage, which 

 is of an almost fur-like texture on the under side, varies much in appearance, according to the season 

 or age of the bird. In spring, the back of the head, the nape, and a narrow stripe across the mantle 

 are black, the latter is shaded with green ; the tail is ash-grey ; and the rest of the plumage white, 

 delicately tinted with rose-red on the fore parts of the body. In the female the hues are less 

 clearly defined, and the white less pure ; the tail is lustreless, and the dark stripe on the nape paler 

 but broader than in the male bird. In winter the head and nape are of a greyish shade. The 

 young have the under side greyish white, the nape grey marked with white, and the shoulder-feathers 

 grey. In all the eye is of a beautiful carmine-red ; the beak black, and the foot pale carmine or rose- 

 red. This species is fourteen inches and a half long, and twenty-seven broad ; the wing measures 

 nine and the tail three inches. 



The Black-winged Stilt inhabits Southern and South-eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Northern 

 Africa ; and during the course of its migrations visits India, the region of the large salt lakes in 

 Central Asia, and the countries watered by the Upper Nile. In Southern Russia and Egypt it is 

 remarkably numerous, and remains throughout the entire year ; in Hungary it is also extremely 

 common ; whilst in Spain, Greece, and Southern Italy it only appears when journeying to or from its 

 winter quarters. Such of these birds as occupy Southern Europe usually frequent the vicinity of 

 extensive lakes, and lead a most retired life ; but in Egypt, on the contrary, flocks numbering some 

 two hundred or three hundred individuals, venture boldly into and about the villages, wherever small 

 pieces of water are to be found, and allow a man to approach them within a few paces without any 

 demonstration of alarm. These winter guests remain almost stationary throughout the cold season, 

 and during that time become very fat. Towards April most of the flock disappear, while some few 

 remain to breed. In England, according to Yarrell, this bird is an accidental though not unfrequent 

 visitor. " On the 9th of June, 1822," says the Rev. R. Lubbock, " I was returning in the evening from 

 fishing upon Hickling Broad, in Norfolk, when a bird of this species flew past the boat within thirty 

 yards. The legs were extended behind, even more in proportion than those of a Heron ; the wings 

 were very much arched j the flight vigorous and regular. The colour and the length of limb made me 

 guess what it must be. We searched for it early next morning, and found it precisely in the same 

 place as the evening before, but it was standing in a shallow pool of water, mid-leg deep, apparently 

 snapping at the insects as they buzzed around it." 



Although the Black-winged Stilts cannot be regarded as sea-birds, they prefer salt water, and 

 occasionally appear on the actual coast, in company with several of its regular occupants. Salt lakes 

 vol. iv. — 125 



