American Avocet 105 
Description.—In summer—Head and neck all round pale cinnamon ; 
paling to white on the front of the face and below behind the breast ; 
lower-back and upper tail-coverts white; tail pearly-white; wings 
chiefly black with two longitudinal bands of white formed by tho 
edges of some of the coverts, secondaries and outer scapulars; iris 
pink or brown, bill black, legs dull blue. Length 17-0; wing 9-0.; 
tail 3-0; culmen 3-7 ; tarsus 3-7 ; but dimensions varying considerably. 
In winter the head and neck are pearly-grey. Young birds are like 
the summer adults, but have tawny edgings to the black feathers and 
@ more or less straight bill. 
Distribution.—Breeding chiefly from, Alberta and Manitoba to south- 
western Texas ; in winter south as far as Guatemala, Cuba and Jamaica. 
In Colorado the Avocet is common on migration, and is also an 
abundant summer resident in suitable localities, breeding along the 
shores of the alkali lakes, in the South Platte valley of the 
north-east plains, and in the mountain parks up to about 8,000 feet. 
It nests abundantly at San Luis Lakes, where it was noticed by 
Aiken, Goss and Cooke, and also along the Arkansas near Fort Lyon 
(Coues) and in South Park (Carter), while Gale and W. G. Smith took 
nests near Loveland, and Rockwell and Hersey at Barr. Other records 
are: Arkansas River (Aiken) and Coventry (Warren), where, as seems 
always the case on the western, slope, it is not at all common. It is 
noted from Fort Lyon as early as March 28th, and from Loveland, 
April 9th, and in the fall at Salida by Frey, September 26th. 
Habits.—The favourite resort of this Avocet are the 
alkaline lakes which are so abundant throughout the 
dry western districts of North America. Here it wades 
along in the shallow water, probing with its curiously 
shaped bill in the soft mud. It also swims with perfect 
ease and considerable grace, often alighting on the water 
from above. Where they have not been much molested 
they are not shy,and fill the air with their harsh cries 
when their breeding-places are being invaded. 
The nests are placed near the shores of the lakes, and 
consist of a slight depression lined with a few grasses 
or weeds. The eggs, generally four in number, are 
somewhat pyriform in shape, and olive-drab heavily 
blotched with purplish-brown in colour. They measure 
about 1°90 x 1°30, but vary considerably not only in 
