4G4 HIMANTOPUS NIGRICOLLIS, BLACK-NECKED STILT. 



of the Stilt, probably grew out of some such statement as that of Wil- 

 son, which, while perfectly true, has been improperly taken. "As they 

 frequently alight on the bare marsh," says the author, referring to Stilts, 

 "they drop their wings, stand with their legs half bent and trembling, 

 as if unable to sustain the burden of their bodies. In this ridiculous 

 posture they will sometimes stand for several minutes, uttering a cur- 

 ring sound, while from the corresponding quiverings of their wings and 

 long legs they seem to balance themselves with great difficulty." Now 

 Wilson generally wrote whereof he had seen and knew, and it is safe to 

 accept his statements for facts, whatever we may think of his opinions. 

 But a sensational or meretricious writer could easily make a sufficiently- 

 startling story out of the above, to the effect that the Stilt's legs are not 

 strong enough to support its body. We may, however, turn aside from 

 such stories as these, assured that, sooner or later, like curses and chick- 

 ens, they will come home to roost with their authors. 



Palpable fabrications aside, there are still some questions to be settled, 

 one of which is respecting the construction of the nests. Wilson says 

 they are at first slightly built of grasses, and afterward elevated and 

 strengthened, as the birds lay and set, by the addition of dry twigs and 

 various other materials; to which statement Audubon takes exception, 

 and, in fact, is evidently inclined to discredit the whole story. It is 

 certainly unusual for nests to be worked upon after incubation has com- 

 menced, and probably those that Wilson describes were not then fitted 

 for the reception of the eggs. But we know, also, tliat the stress the 

 mother bird may be under to deposit an egg may sometimes demand 

 hasty dropping, even before her nest is as elaborately finished as it would 

 otherwise have been. The conflicting statements are probably to be re- 

 conciled in this way. Writers are also largely at Aariance respecting 

 the degree of swimming power that these birds possess; doubtless a 

 result of varying facilities they Lave enjoyed for forming an opinion. 

 And in general I think that it may be safely asserted that different cir- 

 cumstances of observation play as active a part in producing discrepant 

 statements as all other causes combined. The degree to which many or 

 most birds differ in habits, according to circumstances, is not sufficiently 

 recognized. Partial statements, based upon imperfect or insufficient 

 observation, are usually neither entirely true nor wholly false, but be- 

 come the more fmitful sources of error from the very admixture of 

 truth that is in them. Error is never so captivating as when truthfully 

 dressed. The fact in this case is, that the Stilts are wretchedly poor 

 swimmers, as might have been expected from the condition of their legs 

 and absence of webs. As waders they are a great success ; but when 

 out of their depth, which is rarely, if ever, the case from choice, they 

 only make shift to keep their heads above water, and progress in the 

 most helpless and uncertain way. The Avocets, on the contrary, are 

 fiair swimmers. 



Though Audubon's statement, that the Stilt is rarely found at any 

 great distance from the sea-shore, may apply ou the Atlantic coast, it is 

 manifestly correct in any general application. Thus, Dr. Henrj- has 

 taken it at Fort Thorne, New Mexico ; Mr. Xantus at Fort Tejon, Cali- 

 fornia ; Dr. Xewberry at Ehett Lake ; and, not to multiply previous 

 instances, I found it abundant on the Rio Grande near Albuquerque, and 

 again on the Colorado. It occurs, in fact, on most of the lakes and 

 rivers of the West, hundreds of miles from the ocean. It is also found 

 occasionally in some dry localities, where one would hardly expect to 

 meet with any wader. On the plains it appears to be of unusual occur- 

 rence, and I am not aware that it proceeds north of the United States. 



