922 HIMANTOPUS CANDIDUS. 



leaves about the end of September, never being seen in winter. "Near Yarkand in summer the birds are 

 found in enormous numbers, frequenting small pools, little lakes, and marshy ground." It breeds throughout 

 Turkestan up to an elevation of 4000 feet {Severtzoff). Pallas met with it, according to Jerdon, at "salt 

 lakes in Central Asia." Prjevalsky writes that it " breeds on the Hoang-ho only about small lakes and in 

 marshes. Some birds were observed on the 23rd of April." He considers that the bend of the Hoang-ho 

 forms the northern limit of its distribution, it not having been recorded from Lake Baikal or the Amoor. 

 Eastwards it is found in China, but not so far north as Japan. In the former country it was met with in 

 the Pekin district by Pere David. It probably occurs further south, as it has been known to wander to the 

 Philippines, where it was procured in Luzon by Von Martens. Turning westward again, we find it in Palestine 

 and Asia Minor ; and in the former country (if not in the latter) it is resident and breeds, according to 

 Canon Tristram. In Europe it is common in the southern portion, frequenting the shores of the Black Sea 

 and the Lower Danube, breeding at Kustendji. It passes through Greece, and arrives in theEpirus in March, 

 April, and May, breeding, according to Lord Lilford, in great numbers further north in Dalmatia. It occurs 

 on passage in the islands of the Mediterranean, but appears to be a winter visitor to Sardinia. It passes 

 through Transylvania in small uumbers in the spring, and is occasionally met with at that season in Southern 

 Germany. It has bred in Saxony ; but further north it is a straggler, having occurred as high up as Denmark 

 on three occasions only. It has been killed a good many times in England, and has been observed in 

 Scotland near Dumfries, and on the Clyde, as also in Forfarshire and Perthshire. It has strayed as far north 

 as the Orkneys and Shetlands, and has also occurred in Ireland. In Belgium, as also in France, it is a 

 straggler. It breeds in Spain in the marshes of the Coto del Rey, where it was found by Mr. Howard 

 Saunders ; and in Portugal it is said to be not uncommon. It is abundant near Gibraltar, and in " the 

 marisrnas of the Guadalquiver their numbers are," says Col. Irby, " perfectly marvellous." It is migratorv 

 to this district, passing north towards the end of March and beginning of April ; and though a few remain in 

 the winter, they disappear for the most part in October. Eggs are laid, according to this writer, as early as 

 the 28th of April. In Morocco it is very abundant, particularly at Masharalhaddar. Favier states that it 

 frequents the freshwater lakes south of Tangier, breeding there. A few were met with in this region by 

 Mr. T. Drake. In Algeria it is not uncommon ; and it was found nesting at Laghouat by Canon Tristram. 

 In Egypt and Nubia it is very abundant, especially in the Delta. Von Ilcuglin found it breeding in the 

 latter district, and believes that it nests in Central Egypt, Fayoom, Nubia, and also in the marshes of Kordofan 

 and Scnnaar. He did not meet with it on the Upper White Nile, nor in the highlands of Habesh, but found 

 it in all other parts throughout the year, though more common in the winter than in the summer. It extends 

 down the east coast to the Cape, and has been procured on the west coast of Madagascar. It is, however, 

 bv way of the West Coast that it chiefly wanders south, for it is recorded from Bengal, Casamanza, and Accra. 

 In this latter place Capt. Shelley met with it. In Gaboon and Benguela Professor B. du Bocage met with it ; 

 and in Damara Land it was procured by Mr. Andersson. Layard remarks that up to his time only one 

 specimen had been killed in Cape colony by a Mr. Dumbleton, who obtained it on the Cape flats, where a 

 pair only were seen. 



Habits. — The extremely long legs with which this handsome bird is furnished enables it to wade in 

 water where other species could not; and it consequently has a partiality for flooded marshes and swampy 

 land, the edges of shallow, though not weedy tanks, and such like, where it may be seen stalking about, 

 sometimes in comparatively deep water, every now and then thrusting its bill into it and picking up some 

 minute crustacean or aquatic insect. The body is held erect, the neck slightly drawn back, and the bill 

 nearly horizontal when it is walking. It associates in small flocks of a dozen or more, the members of which 

 feed in scattered company, but form at once a compact body when the flock is put on the wing ; the flight 

 is performed with quick, regular beatings of the wings, and is not very swift, though steady and straight-on- 

 end; the long red legs are carried straight out behind and at full extent. In the breeding-season it is 

 very watchful and extremely noisy. Long before the intruder is near the breeding-ground he is sure to be 

 made aware of the presence of these Stilts by their rising up in the air and hovering or supporting themselves 

 with quick flapping of the wings, progressing slowly forward over the ground containing their eggs and young; 



