28 AMERICAN AVOSET. 



flock of five while feeding. He saw several large flocks on the same grounds, 

 and assured me that the only note they emitted was a single whistle. He 

 also observed their manner of feeding, which he represented as similar to 

 that described above. 



My friend Thomas Nttttall says in a note, that he "found this species 

 breeding on the islands of shallow ponds throughout the Rocky Mountains 

 about midsummer. They exhibited great fear and clamour at the approach 

 of the party, but no nests were found, they being then under march." Dr. 

 Richardson states, that it is abundant on the Saskatchewan Plains, where it 

 frequents shallow lakes, and feeds on insects and small fresh-water Crustacea. 



The flight of the American Avoset resembles that of the Himantopus 

 nigricollis. Both these birds pass through the air as if bent on removing to 

 a great distance, much in the manner of the Tell-tale Godwit, or with an 

 easy, rather swift and continued flight, the legs and neck fully extended. 

 When plunging towards an intruder, it at times comes downwards, and 

 passes by you, with the speed of an arrow from a bow, but usually in moving 

 off again, it suffers its legs to hang considerably. I have never seen one of 

 them exhibit the bending and tremulous motions of the legs spoken of by 

 writers, even when raised suddenly from the nest; and I think that I am 

 equally safe in saying, that the bill has never been drawn from a fresh speci- 

 men, or before it has undergone a curvature, which it does not shew when 

 the bird is alive. The notes of this bird resemble the syllable click, some- 

 times repeated in a very hurried manner, especially under alarm. 



American Avocet, Recurvirostra Americana, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. vii. p. 126. 



Reccrvirostra Americana, Bonap. Syn., p. 394. 



Recdrvirostra Americana, American Avocet, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. 



ii. p. 375. 

 American Avocet, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 74. 

 American Avocet, Recurvirostra Americana, Aud. Orn. Biog-., vol. iv. p. 168. 



Male, IS, 30f. 



Passes along the coast from Texas northward, in small numberSj a few 

 breeding in New Jersey. Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Abundant in the 

 Rocky Mountains and the Fur Countries. Migratory. 



Adult Male. 



Bill more than twice the length of the head, very slender, much depressed, 

 tapering to a point, and slightly recurved. Upper mandible with the dorsal 

 line straight for half its length, then a little curved upwards, and at the tip 

 slightly decurved, the ridge broad and flattened, the edges rather thick, the 

 nasal groove rather long and very narrow. Nostrils linear, basal, pervious. 

 Lower mandible with the angle long and very narrow, the dorsal line 



