The American Avocet 



Nesting at Los Bafios is conducted in May. Young birds are nor- 

 mally astir by the 20th of that month; but there are many disasters inci- 

 dent to changes of water level or to predatory animals. Second nestings 

 are attempted in case the first is lost, and family cares are sometimes pro- 

 tracted into July. Nests, at their worst, may consist of a mere depression 

 in the dry earth, around which a few broken twigs have been gathered; at 

 their best, a soft cushion of dried reeds or grasses, carefully culled, may 

 support the four eggs. The birds affect a sort of puritanical simplicity, 

 and will usually employ a single sort of material even where many are 

 available. The birds are sometimes called upon to meet the exigency of 

 rapidly rising water, although they are not quite so clever at it as are the 

 Stilts, and I have seen drowned-out nests. With the approach of the 

 water the wise ones gather succulent vegetation or pluck grass-roots, earth 

 and all, and force it under the eggs. In this way they will erect a trun- 

 cated cone several inches in height, and often succeed in escaping the 

 inundation. One monumental nest I found on the 3rd of June, 1914, 

 which supported eggs in the very act of hatching, above five inches of 

 water. There was quick wit and true ! 



Taken in Merced County 



NEST AND EGGS OF BLACK-NECKED STILT 



Photo by the Author 



I203 



