AVOCET 343 



The eggs of the Avocet are usually four in number, sometimes but 

 three, and are pear-shaped. They measure in inches 1.82 to 1.97 by 

 1.34 to 1.40, and average 1.93 by 1.37. The ground-color is a dull buff 

 or clay with superficial markings of reddish brown, brownish black 

 or black, and deeper markings of lavender or gray. The superficial 

 markings are more numerous than the deeper ones, are rather evenly 

 distributed over the surface, and rarely exceed 0.08 inches in diameter. 

 The eggs of the Avocet differ from those of the Black-necked Stilt in 

 larger transverse diameter, slightly greater length, slightly duller 

 surface, and smaller and less numerous spots. 



"The little chicks take readily to the water and are as much at 

 home as ducklings, swimming and diving if occasion require" (San- 

 ford, Bishop and Van Dyke, 1903, p. 333). A downy youngster sev- 

 eral days old observed by H. C. Bryant (1914e, p. 226) at Gadwall, 

 May 21, 1914, was swimming in a shallow pond and turning tail up 

 as it tried to reach something on the bottom. The young are fully 

 fledged and on the wing by the first of August; for Belding (1890, p. 

 267) records birds of the year at Webber Lake in the north central 

 Sierras on August 3, 1889. 



The stomach of the downy young specimen mentioned by H. C. 

 Bryant (loe. cit.) contained eight or more small water beetles (Dytis- 

 cidae), 1 Jerusalem cricket {Stenopelmatus), 1 dragon-fiy larva, 1 

 small bug (Pentatomidae), and one centipede (Scolopendra) . At 

 Mono Lake, W. K. Fisher (1902a, p. 10) found this species feeding 

 on a small Phyllopod crustacean which abounded along the shore ; 

 and Tyler (1913a, p. 16) thinks that the flies occurring on the scum 

 covering stagnant pools form an attraction for the 'Avocet. McAtee 

 (1911a) reports the species as feeding on grasshoppers, bill-bugs and 

 water beetles. In Florida a single individual was found to have eaten 

 sixteen fish under an inch in length (Baird, Brewer and Kidgway, 

 1884, 1, p. 342). On the shores of Santa Cruz Island, Henshaw (1876, 

 p. 271) found the species eating the sea-slugs and small crustaceans 

 which were to be found on the sea beach. 



The Avocet was formerly an important game bird in California. 

 There are records of considerable numbers having been offered for 

 sale as food in the markets of Stockton and San Francisco. Authori- 

 ties, however, differ as to the value of the flesh of the Avocet as an 

 article of food. Huntington (1911, pp. 317, 318) declares that "the 

 flesh is fairly good, about equal to that of the other shore birds of 

 the second class, such as the tattlers"; while Sanford, Bishop and 

 Van Dyke (1903, p. 333) say that "the flesh is of a bluish color and 

 hardly palatable." 



Apparently the species was more abundant in past years than at 

 present, but it has not suffered the great diminution in numbers that 



