Oafs II. AVOSETT A. 399 



water-plants, &c. It lays five or fix white eggs ; and 

 always covers them when it quits the neft. It fnould 

 feem wonderful how they are hatched, as the water 

 rifes through the neft, and keeps them wet •, but the 

 natural warmth of the bird bringing on a fermenta- 

 tion in the vegetables, which are full a foot thick, 

 makes a hot bed fit for the purpofe. 



Se&ion III. WEBBED FOOTED 

 BIRDS. 



Genus XL The AVOSETT A. 

 I. The AVOSETT A. 



Recurviroftra. Gefner av. 231. Avofetta, L'Avocette. BriJ/onav. 



Avof"etta,Beccoftorto,Beccoroella, vi. 538. tab. afj ■ fg. 2. 



Spinzago d'acqua. Aldr. a<v. Krumbfchnabl. Kram. i\%. 



iii. 1 14. Recurviroftra Avoietta. Lin.fyfl. 



Wil. orn ^zi. 2^6. 



Raiifyn. a<v. 117. Skarflacka, Alfit. Faun. Suec.fp. 



The Scooper. Charlton ex. I-02. igi. 



The crooked Bill. Dales bijl. Danis Klyde, Loufugl, Foikeert 



Hanvicb. 402. Regnfpove. Br. 188. 



B hit's bijl. Staff. 231. Br. Zool. 1 3 4. 



r I V HIS bird may at once be diftinguifhed from Defer 



all others, by the fingular form of its bill ; 

 which is three inches and a half long, {lender, com- 

 prefTed very thin, flexible, and of a fubftance like 

 whalebone ; and contrary to the bills of other birds, 

 is turned up for near half its length. The tongue is 



C c 3 fhort: 



