﻿BIRDS 
  OF 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  295 
  

  

  can 
  Museum, 
  and 
  the 
  Collection 
  of 
  the 
  Long 
  Island 
  Historical 
  Society 
  

   [sec 
  Dutcher, 
  i\uk, 
  lo: 
  272]. 
  

  

  The 
  bird 
  is 
  mostly 
  an 
  inhabitant 
  of 
  interior 
  and 
  western 
  America 
  

   from 
  Texas 
  to 
  Saskatchewan, 
  wintering 
  from 
  the 
  gulf 
  coast 
  southward. 
  

  

  Family 
  MIVI 
  ANTOPODIDAEi 
  

  

  Stilts 
  

  

  Body 
  rather 
  small, 
  but 
  the 
  legs 
  excessively 
  length)-; 
  hind 
  toe 
  wanting; 
  

   front 
  toes 
  semipalmate; 
  bill 
  slender, 
  nearly 
  straight, 
  slighth' 
  curved 
  

   upward, 
  tapering, 
  acute; 
  wings 
  long 
  and 
  pointed; 
  plumage 
  blackish 
  and 
  

   white. 
  

  

  There 
  are 
  seven 
  or 
  eight 
  species 
  of 
  Stilts, 
  inhabiting 
  warm 
  or 
  temperate 
  

   regions, 
  but 
  onh' 
  one 
  reaches 
  the 
  United 
  States. 
  

  

  Coues 
  says, 
  "on 
  the 
  ground 
  whether 
  walking 
  or 
  wading, 
  the 
  bird 
  

   moves 
  gracefully, 
  with 
  measured 
  steps; 
  the 
  long 
  legs 
  are 
  much 
  bent 
  at 
  

   each 
  step 
  (onh^ 
  at 
  the 
  joint, 
  however), 
  and 
  planted 
  firmly, 
  perfectly 
  straight; 
  

   except 
  under 
  certain 
  circumstances, 
  as 
  those 
  Wilson 
  narrates, 
  there 
  is 
  

   nothing 
  vacillating, 
  feeble 
  or 
  unsteady, 
  either 
  in 
  the 
  attitudes 
  or 
  the 
  move- 
  

   ments 
  of 
  the 
  birds. 
  When 
  feeding, 
  the 
  legs 
  are 
  bent 
  backward 
  with 
  an 
  acute 
  

   angle 
  at 
  the 
  heel 
  joint 
  to 
  bring 
  the 
  body 
  lower; 
  the 
  latter 
  is 
  tilted 
  forward 
  

   and 
  downward 
  over 
  the 
  center 
  of 
  equilibrium, 
  where 
  the 
  feet 
  rest, 
  and 
  

   the 
  long 
  neck 
  and 
  bill 
  reach 
  the 
  rest 
  of 
  the 
  distance 
  to 
  the 
  ground." 
  

  

  Himantopus 
  mexicanus 
  (MuUer) 
  

   Black-necked 
  Stilt 
  

  

  Charadrius 
  mexicanus 
  Mtiller. 
  Syst. 
  Nat. 
  Sup. 
  1776. 
  P- 
  1 
  17 
  

   Himantopus 
  nigricollis 
  DeKay. 
  Zool. 
  N. 
  Y. 
  pt 
  2, 
  p. 
  265, 
  fig. 
  200 
  

   Himantopus 
  mexicanus 
  A. 
  O. 
  U. 
  Check 
  List. 
  Ed. 
  2. 
  1895. 
  No. 
  226 
  

  

  himdn'topus, 
  Gr. 
  t/xavTOTroiJs, 
  strap-legged, 
  crook-shanked; 
  mexicd'nus, 
  

  

  Lat., 
  Mexican 
  

  

  Description. 
  Adult 
  male: 
  Black 
  and 
  white, 
  the 
  back 
  of 
  head 
  and 
  

   neck, 
  upper 
  back, 
  and 
  wings, 
  black; 
  tail 
  gray; 
  front 
  of 
  head 
  and 
  neck, 
  

   lower 
  back, 
  rump, 
  under 
  parts, 
  a 
  spot 
  before 
  the 
  eye, 
  and 
  another 
  behind 
  

  

  