LESSER WHITETHROAT 
so, her natural impulse being to remain motionless, concealed, 
if possible, by rushes or vegetation of some description. It 
is when she is surprised or suddenly alarmed that her excite- 
ment becomes so great. I have remained quietly within a few 
feet of her by the side of a dyke, while her young swam hur- 
riedly away, and no alarm was exhibited until some sudden 
movement was purposely made on my part, when she would 
flutter away, behaving in the usual manner, her legs appear- 
ing to have lost their strength, a result, I believe, often 
brought about by loss of balance owing to her haste and 
attempts to utilise legs and wings at the same time. ‘The 
behaviour of the Avocet (Recurvirostra avocetta) is interest- 
ing, partly on account of the extreme beauty of the bird, but 
principally because of the numerous and peculiar attitudes 
that are assumed. Their breeding in colonies adds much to 
the interest, since it is not one but often a number of indi- 
viduals that perform at the same time. 
As the nests are approached the excitement of the dif- 
ferent members of the colony becomes intense, the pretty cry 
is uttered continuously, and the individuals whose nests are 
threatened settle on the ground, expand their wings in a semi- 
circle, spread and lower their tails, lower their heads, and with 
their back feathers raised move hurriedly along the ground. 
Then lying quietly for a few moments with wings expanded 
they will, perhaps, rise to some height in the air and swoop 
down at the intruder. Thus they have approached within a 
foot of my head. Again coming towards the ground, they 
will settle and run rapidly about with their wings raised over 
their backs, or in a crouching attitude with wings carried 
loosely, tail fully expanded, and back feathers raised, will move 
about more slowly. When they spread their wings over 
their backs they sometimes raise and lower them alternately, 
thus appearing to sway from side to side. At other times 
they remain motionless with wings expanded horizontally 
either in deep or shallow water; in fact, it is difficult to 
imagine any possible position of the wings which is not at 
one moment or another assumed. 
9 
