^9 



AYOCET. 



RECURVIROSTRA AVOCETTA, Linn. 



Recm-virostra avocettaj Linn. S. N. i. p. 256 (176G) ; Nauni. 

 viii. p. 213, xiii. p. 24o ; Macg. iv. p. 306; Hewitson, ii. 

 p. 339; Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 299; Dresser, vii. p. 577. 



Avocette a nuque noire, French ; Avosette, German ; 

 Avuceta, Spanish. 



This singular and handsome bird was formerly a very 

 common summer visitor to many of the marshes of our 

 eastern and southern counties, but owing to drainage, 

 cultivation, and merciless persecution, it has long ceased 

 to breed in England, and may now be justly considered 

 as a rare bird in all parts of our islands. My own 

 acquaintance with, the Avocet is confined to Southern 

 Europe ; it appears in great numbers on the great 

 marshes of the lower Guadalquivir in April, and breeds, 

 for it can hardly be said to nest, on the vast expanses of 

 dry sand and mud on both sides of that famous river ; 

 I have also met with it at Santander in November. 

 The eggs are four in nuinl)er, of a yellovi'ish-drab 

 ground-colour, thickly blotched and spotted with black ; 

 many sittings arc to be found on a comparatively small 

 space, and the clamour of the birds when disturbed at 



