AVOSET. 3$ 



occasionally swim, but always close to the shore;* are very bold in 

 defence of their young; and when disturbed in the breeding' season, 

 hover over the sportsman's head like the Lapwing; and fly with their 

 necks and legs extended, having a sharp note like the word Twit, 

 twice, or oftener repeated; hence have been called Yelpers; known 

 known also in some counties by the names of Butter-flip, Scooper, 

 Picarini, Crooked-Bill, and Cobler's-awl. 



This bird is found also on various parts of the Continent : to 

 the north, in Russia, Sweden, f and Denmark, but not in plenty ; 

 also in Siberia, but more frequent about the salt lakes of the Tar- 

 tarian Desert, and about the Caspian sea.! Met with on the Coasts 

 of Picardy, in France, in April and November, but rarely at 

 Orleans. In breeding time they are in such plenty on the Coasts of 

 Bas Poictou, that the peasants take the eggs by thousands in order 

 to feast on them.§ They also inhabit both Italy and Spain, but in 

 what numbers is uncertain. They likewise occur in drawings done 

 in India, by the name of Hun Sowry. Dr. Buchanan mentions, 

 that two of these were seen upon an Island in the River Hooghlv, 

 January 1806, they were shot and wounded, one of them lived a 

 week, the other much longer; they were fed with the small fry of 

 fish put into a pan of water, which they scooped up very readily 

 with their bills. 



2 —AMERICAN AVOSET— Pl. clxvii. 



Recurvi rostra Americana, Ind. Orn. ii. 787. Gm. Lin. i. G93. 



Avosetta, Damp. Voy. iii. pl. in p. 123. f. 3. Tern. Man. Ed. ii. 592. 



American Avoset, Gen. Syn. v. 295. pl. 92. Arct. Zool. ii. 241. pl. 21. Amer. Orn. 

 vii. 126. pl. 63. f. 2. 



THIS is larger than the last, and somewhat longer, being in 

 height as it stands, fourteen inches. The bill black ;|| irides reddish ; 



* One shot, swimming with others, in Sunning-Eye Lake, in Berkshire ; at another time 

 four were seen swimming among the Ducks in the month of April. — Dr. Lamb. 



f Chiefly in the Isle of Oeland. J Arct. Zool. § Salem. 



|| That in Amer. Orn. bends a trifle downwards at the ends, and finishes in an extremely 

 fine point. 



