GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 173 



localities throughout the African continent, and probably in 

 Madagascar. Eastwards it is a bird of passage across Asia Minor, 

 a few renaaining to winter, and is a resident in Palestine and 

 Persia, but only a summer visitor to Northern Turkestan, South- 

 west Siberia, South-east Mongolia, and South Dauria, wintering 

 in India (sometimes in Ceylon) and China, including the 

 islands of Formosa and Hainan. Blakiston and Pryer include the 

 Avocet in their list of the birds of Japan, whilst Temminck and 

 Schegel had long previously included it in their list in the 

 Fauna Jafonica, but until an example has been obtained and 

 identified by competent authorities, it seems probable that the 

 American Avocet may be the species that occasionally visits these 

 islands. 



Allied Forms. — Recurvirostra americana, an inhabitant of 

 North America, from Great Slave Lake in the north to Texas in 

 the south, the more northern birds wintering in the West Indies 

 and Central America. Differs from the Common Avocet in having 

 the secondaries white, the major part of the outer web brown ; 

 and in breeding plumage in having the head and neck dull 

 chestnut. R. rubricoHis, an inhabitant of Australia, occasionally 

 occurring in Tasmania, Norfolk Island, and New Guinea. Diifers 

 from the Common Avocet in having a chestnut head and neck 

 during the breeding season, and in having the combination of the 

 secondaries white on both webs, much white on the scapulars, 

 but none on the tertials. 



Time during which the Common Avocet may be taken. 



— August ist to March ist. 



Habits. — The habits of the Avocet resemble very closely 

 those of the Common Stilt. Like that species it is a migratory 

 bird, arriving at its European breeding places in April and May, 

 and leaving them again in September. Its haunts are low, sandy 

 coasts, salt marshes, lagoons, and muddy islands. In these places 

 it frequents the waterside, and not only wades in the shallows 

 but swims well and lightly whenever it has occasion to do so. It 

 runs quickly over the treacherous muds, and walks with graceful 

 steps hither and thither in quest of food. Although conspicuous 

 enough on the bare muds and sands, or on the short turf of the 

 salt marshes, it is said not to be very shy, but it is careful to keep 



