Genus LXXXV. KECUKVIKOSTRA. AVOSET. 

 Species I. R. AMERICANA. 



AMERICAN AVOSET. 



[Plato IXIII. Fig. 2.] 

 Arct. Zool. No. 421.— Lath. Syn. v. m., p. 295, No. 2. 



This species, from its perpetual clamor, and flippancy of tongue, is 

 called by the inhabitants of Cape May, the Lawyer ; the comparison, 

 however, reaches no farther : for our Lawyer is simple, timid, and per- 

 fectly inofiFensive. 



In describing the Long-legged Avoset of this volume, the similarity 

 between that and the present was taken notice of. This resemblance 

 extends to everything but their color. I found both these birds asso- 

 ciated together in the salt marshes of New Jersey, on the twentieth of 

 May. They were then breeding. Individuals of the present species 

 were few in respect to the other. They flew around the shallow pools, 

 exactly in the manner of the Long-legs, uttering the like sharp note of 

 click click click, alighting on the marsh, or in the water, indiscriminately, 

 fluttering their loose wings, and shaking their half-bent legs, as if ready 

 to tumble over, keeping up a continual yelping note. They were, how- 

 ever, rather more shy, and kept at a greater distance. One which I 

 wounded, attempted repeatedly to dive ; but the water was too shallow 

 to permit him to do this with facility. The nest was built among the 

 thick tufts of grass, at a small distance from one of these pools. It 

 was composed of small twigs, of a seaside shrub, dry grass, sea weed, 

 &c., raised to the height of several inches. The eggs were four, of a 

 dull olive color, marked with large irregular blotches of black, and with 

 others of a fainter tint. 



This species arrives on the coast of Cape May late in April ; rears 

 its young, and departs again to the south early in October. While here, 

 it almost constantly frequents the shallow pools in the salt marshes ; 

 wading about, often to the belly, in search of food, viz.,. marine worms, 

 snails, and various insects that abound among the soft muddy bottoms 

 of the pools. 



The male of this species is eighteen inches and a half long, and two 

 feet and a half in extent ; the bill is black, four inches in length, flat 

 above, the general curvature upwards, except at the extremity, where 



(20) 



