OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 169 



India, and Burmah ; 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 leucocephalus, 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. jpicatus, and 

 is apparently an intermediate form, the result of interbreeding between H. leuco- 

 cephalus andfi". melas, the Black Stilt of New Zealand. The representative species 

 in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions are : H. mexicanus, breeding in the southern 

 half of South America, wintering in the northern half of that continent ; resident in 

 the central districts. Distinguished by having the black on the back of the neck ex- 

 tending over the crown and joining the black on the mantle. H. hrasiliensis, breed- 

 ing in the Chilian subregion, many wintering in Southern Brazil. Distinguished 

 by having the black on the back of the neck separated from that of the mantle by 

 a white collar, and extending underneath the eye, but not on to the crown. 



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 : 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 long legs folded beneath 

 it on some dry spot, as if basking in the hot sunshine. They are by no means 

 shy birds, yet if too closely pursued they soon take to the air, often running a 

 little way with wings open before rising. Their flight is slow and straight, the 

 neck outstretched, and the long legs pressed close to the body under the tail, 

 beyond which they project for some distance. The wings are beaten with slow 

 and regular motion, and during flight the bird from time to time droops its legs 

 as if about to alight, although high above the ground. They are said to be tame 

 and rather quiet birds, but when their breeding places are invaded they soon 

 become noisy in their anxiety for their eggs and young. The usual call- 

 note is a clear kee-kee-kee, and the alarm notes may be syllabled as kit-kit-kit and 

 a rattling ^eMr-r-ree. The food of the Common Stilt consists of moUusks, and 

 such aquatic insects as beetles, gnats, dragon-flies, etc. 



