64 BIRDS OF COLORADO. 



of northern Colorado below 6,000 feet, even within a few rods 

 of cultivated ground. Eggs have been taken near Fort Collins 

 on June 8. In southern Colorado it is known only as a migrant. 

 Reaches northern Colorado the last of April. 



225. Recurvirostra americana. American Avocet. 

 Summer resident; common. Most common on the plains, 



but occurs in the mountain parks up to 8,000 feet. Rather rare 

 in western Colorado. Henshaw found them breeding abund- 

 antly in the San Luis Valley, with nearly all the eggs hatched 

 by June 21. In northern Colorado on the plains the eggs are 

 mostly laid by the first week in June, the birds having come 

 the middle of April. 



226. Himantopus mexicanus. Black-^stecked Stilt. 

 Summer resident; not uncommon. It is found at the same 



places and at the same time as the Avocet, but the order of 

 abundance is reversed, the Stilt being more common west of 

 the range though still occurring in eastern Colorado. Breeds 

 at the same time as the Avocet from the plains to 8,000 feet. 



228. Philohela minor. American Woodcock. 



Summer visitant; rare. Colorado marks the extreme 

 western range of the Woodcock and it is found here only to the 

 base of the foothills. The five known instances are all within 

 50 miles of Denver. H. G. Smith reports one August 12, 1885, 

 and one in October, 1885, within the city limits of Denver. He 

 also reports that one was seen by Mr. John Bently during 

 the fall of 1887 near Boulder and that one was recently shot 

 near Fort Lupton. (Auk, III. 1886, 284 and Nidologist, III. 

 1896, 65.) Dr. W. H. Bergtold, of Denver, writes that he saw 

 one in Denver, June, 1895. Since the Woodcock breeds 

 throughout its range and since it has been noted here in June 

 and August, it is fair to presume that it breeds occasionally in 

 Colorado, but no nests have as yet been found in the State. 



230. Gallinago delicata. Wilson's Snipe. 



Summer resident, rare; in migration, common; winter 

 resident, rare. Found throughout the State in migration any- 

 where below 10,000 feet, but more common on the eastern slope 

 than the western. F. M. Drew found it breeding in San Juan 

 County (B. N. O. C. VI. 1881, 85), and W. E. D. Scott found a 

 few pairs breeding in June at Twin Lakes at over 9,000 feet. 

 (B. N. O. C. IV. 1879, 90.) On the plains it is known only in 

 migration and a few in winter. Aiken, Morrison and Bennett 

 report it in winter, the first on the plains, the second at Fort 

 Lewis, and the last in Routt County. It has been known to 

 winter at open marshy springs even 150 miles north of Colorado 

 in central Wyoming. 



