1 68 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOPVL 



Africa, India, and Burma; whilst stragglers at that season 

 have been known to wander into North China, Cochin-China, 

 Timor, the Philippines, Borneo, and New Zealand. The most 

 extensive breeding grounds appear to be in India and Ceylon 

 where the bird is a resident, although, as previously stated, its 

 numbers are increased during the cold season. 



Allied Forms. — Himantopus kucocephalus, breeding in 

 Australia and wintering in the Malay Archipelago, Borneo, New 

 Guinea, etc. Differs from the Common Stilt in having the entire 

 head white and the back of the neck black, separated from 

 the black of the back by a white collar. The New Zealand Pied 

 Stilt has been separated from the foregoing under the name of 

 H. kucocephalus picatus, and is apparently an intermediate form, 

 the result of interbreeding between H. kucocephalus and H. melas, 

 the Black Stilt, of New Zealand. Representative species in 

 the Nearctic and Neotropical regions : H. mexicanus, breeds in 

 southern half of South America, winters in northern half of that 

 continent ; resident in central districts. Distinguished by having 

 the black on the back of the neck extending over the crown and 

 joining the black on the mantle. H. brasilknsis, breeds in the 

 Chilian subregion, many wintering in Southern Brazil. Dis- 

 tinguished by having the black on the back of the neck separated 

 from that of the mantle by a white collar, and extending under- 

 neath the eye, but not on to the crown. 



Time during which the Common Stilt may be taken. 

 — August ist to March ist. 



Habits. — The passage of the Common Stilt into Europe 

 begins at the end of March and lasts till the middle of April. It 

 migrates in small flocks, probably the birds of a breeding colony 

 journeying in company. Its stay in Europe is seldom prolonged 

 after the middle of November. The colonies of these birds which 

 breed in India are much more extensive than those in Europe. 

 Its principal haunts are salt marshes, especially lagoons and low, 

 muddy islands. There are few such graceful birds as the 

 Common Stilt, and its every movement, either on land or in air, 

 is easy and elegant in the extreme. It may often be watched 

 walking about the mud-banks or standing in the shallow water, 

 tripping lightly over the slimy, treacherous ooze, or sitting with 



