CHAPTER IX 



SHORE-BIRD SHOOTING {CONTINUED) 



THE AVOCETS AND STILTS 



(Recurvirostrida) 



One avocet and one stilt are found in North 

 America ; both are large birds. The former has 

 the bill bent strongly upward toward the tip, mod- 

 erately long legs, the anterior toes fully webbed, 

 and a hind toe ; the latter has a straight bill, ex- 

 ceedingly long and slender legs, very little web- 

 bing between the anterior toes, and no hind toe. 

 Both agree in having very long and slender bills, 

 the legs covered in front with hexagonal plates, 

 and the anterior toes somewhat connected by 

 membrane. 



The family to which these birds belong is small, 

 containing only about a dozen species, which in- 

 habit chiefly the temperate zones of the world, 

 Our species frequent the alkaline lakes of the 

 western interior and are birds of much beauty. 

 They often obtain their food in fairly deep water 

 in which their long and slender legs enable them 

 to wade, but they swim well if necessary, as do 

 most of the shore-birds. They breed near the 



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