THE STILT BIED. 



321 



approach. It is clever in avoiding snares set for it by the 

 fowler, and ingenious in escaping — either by flight or swimming 

 — its pursuers. The nest of the Avocet is a very simple struc- 

 ture, generally made by placing a few blades of grass in a 

 hole in the sand. Here it lays two or three eggs, of which it is 

 frequently robbed ; for, like those of the Plover and others, its 

 congeners, they are regarded as great delicacies by the gourmand 

 The flesh, however, is not considered very tempting. 



The Stilt Birds obtain their name from the excessive length 



Fig. 116. — Stilt Bii'd ifiharadnus lumantopus). 



of their legs, which are also so slender and flexible that they 

 can be bent considerably without breaking. Their feet are 

 not so completely webbed as the species we have just men- 

 tioned : the two membranes which unite the toes are unequal 

 in size. The bill is long, slender, and sharp, like that of the 

 Avocet, but straight ; the wings are long and pointed ; the tail 

 small. They are about the size of the Avocet, and some- 



Y 



