98 WILD LIFE IN CHINA. 



"pheasant" appellation is derived from the length of his two 

 long tail feathers, which are carried in a graceful curve as 

 the cock pheasant sometimes carries his. Through a glass 

 on each occasion I had a good look at this most interesting 

 creature. He seemed perfectly at home, taking no notice 

 of the passing boats, nor heeding inany way the native noises 

 round about. If alarmed, jacanas dive, and remain out of 

 sight, under the weeds, etc., probably with thebilloutofwater, 

 for a considerable time. 



One other cool weather visitor demands notice before 

 this chapter is closed, the not less remarkable than beautiful 

 avocet. The most striking peculiarity in this bird is noted in 

 its classical name Recitrvirostra avocetta, the curve of the bill 

 being in the direction opposite to that of other birds, viz. 

 upwards. At a distance it looks exactly as if in place of a 

 bill the bird had a cobbler's awl sticking out in front of its 

 head. There is not the slightest need to suppose that this is 

 an abnormality due to accident in the beginning for just as 

 the long down-curved bill of the curlew is fitted for deep 

 probing, so the recurved bill of the avocet is fitted for surface 

 scooping especially in shallow water. Nature rarely, if ever, 

 makes mistakes, and there is no need to suppose one here. 

 The avocet is very distinctly marked, pied in black and white, 

 with a warm brown patch on the back. Its legs are long but 

 less so than those of the stilt. It is a splendid runner, and, like 

 practically all birds of its family, can swim if necessary. This 

 it does with a backward and forward motion of the head 

 just as one sees in a moorhen'under similar circumstances. 

 In weight the avocet is much the same as the woodcock 



