64 THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



their winter home further south early in August. The female of 

 this species possesses the finest and most brilliant breeding plu- 

 mage of the two sexes. The male performs nearly or quite all 

 of the work of building the nest and of incubation. It is also 

 smaller than the female. The nest is a very simple affair, and is 

 built with grass in a shallow depression in the ground in open 

 situations where it is but slightly protected by the grass. 



The range of this species is chiefly confined to the interior 

 of temperate North America. They breed from Illinois and Utah 

 northward to the Saskatchewan region, and migrate southward 

 in winter as far as Brazil and Patagonia. 



FAMILY RECURVIROSTRID^: AVOCETS AND STILTS. 



Genus RECUEVIEOSTRA Linnaeus, 1758. 



Becurvirostra americana Gmelin. American Avocet. 



Becurvirostra americana Gmelin, S. N., ed. 13, I, 1788, 693. 



The only record that I have found concerning the occurrence 

 of this species within our limits or the immediate vicinity, is that 

 of Mr. E. W. Nelson who says:* "A rare migrant. Generally 

 occurs in small parties the last of April and the first of May, and 

 during September and the first of October. Frequents the bor- 

 ders of marshy pools." 



The range of this species includes temperate North America 

 and it is much less common in the eastern than in the western 

 United States. 



Genus HIHANTOPUS Brisson, 1760. 



Himantopiis mezicanns (Miiller). Black-necked Stilt. 



Charadriits mexicanus MuixEE, S. N., Suppl., 1776, 117. 

 Himantopiis mexicanus Obd, Wilson's Om., VII, 1824, 52. 

 Himantopug nigricoUis Vieiixot, 1817. 

 Popular synonyms : Long-shanks. Pink-stockings. Lawyee. Stilt. 



Mr. Nelson speaks of this species as being "An exceedingly 

 rare visitant." Mr. Robert Ridgway saysrf "While on record 

 only as a summer visitant to Illinois, the Stilt undoubtedly breeds 

 in some portions of the State." 



There is really no reason why this species might not be, at 

 least occasionally, found within our limits, for its range in- 

 cludes the whole of temperate North America from the northern 



tThe Ornithology of Illinois, Vol. 11, 1895, 76. 



«Birds of NortheasteTn Illinois. Bull. Essex Inst., Vol. VIII, 1876, 124. 



