170 THE GAME BIEDS AND WILD FOWL 



Nidification — The date of the breeding season of the Common Stilt 

 varies a good deal according to locality. In Spain, Stilts commence laying by the 

 end of April or first few days of May. In the valley of the Danube, near the 

 Black Sea, they are more than a month later ; whilst in India the greater number 

 of eggs are laid in June, but the birds begin to lay about the same time as those 

 that breed in Spain. This bird breeds in colonies of varying size, some consisting 

 of a few pairs only, others of several hundreds. The nest is made in a great 

 variety of situations, and varies considerably in size and materials. If the ground 

 be wet the nest is more bulky than when made in drier situations. Some nests 

 are quite in the water, amidst heaps of dead reeds and other aquatic vegetation, 

 rising from two to three inches above the water-level : others are made on the 

 mud, and are smaller. A great breeding station of this bird is situated at some 

 salt works near Delhi, in Upper India. These works consist of many acres 

 of shallow pools lined with lime, and divided from each other by strips of ground 

 from one to six feet in breadth. On these narrow strips, and in the shallowest of 

 the pools, the birds make their nests. These are remarkably curious structures — 

 little platforms made of pieces of lime, raised about three inches high and from 

 seven to twelve inches across, on which is strewn a small quantity of dry grass as 

 a bed for the eggs. Many nests are made close together, and the birds are 

 remarkably tame, allowing the workmen to pass them closely as they sit on their 

 eggs. When disturbed at the colony the birds rise from their eggs, or run from 

 them with elevated wings before taking flight. The eggs are four in number, 

 pyriform, and pale buffish-brown in ground-colour, streaked, spotted, and blotched 

 with blackish-brown, and with underlying markings of grey. They measure on 

 an average 1'7 inch in length by 1'2 inch in breadth. But one brood is reared in 

 the year. 



Diagnostic cliaracters. — Himantopus, with the head and neck white 

 (adult). -Immature birds have the back of the neck and the crown black. In 

 first plumage the dark parts are brown, mottled with buff. Length, 13 to 14 

 inches. 



