14 



AWL. 



and sometimes in Shropshire. During the breeding- season, the Avosets 

 are seen in considerable numbers near Fossdike, in Lincolnshire, and 

 also in the fens of Cambridgeshire and similar localities. Temminck 

 says it is common in North Holland. It seems, indeed, to be very 

 widely diffused, being- found in Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Siberia, the 

 Caspian Sea, and particularly about the Salt Lakes in the deserts of 

 Tartary. Salerne tells us that it is sometimes seen on the coasts of 

 Picardy, rarely at Orleans, but in such abundance in Bas Poictic, that," 

 during the breeding season, the peasants take the eggs by thousands. 

 Dr. Buchanan informs us that two were wounded on an island in the 

 Hoogly, near Calcutta ; and they lived for some time afterwards, being 

 fed with small fish, which they readily scooped up from a pan of water. 

 The singular form of the bill led Buffon, according to his absurd athe- 

 istical theory, to suppose it to be " one of those errors or essays of 

 Nature, which, if carried a little further, would destroy itself ; for if 

 the curvature of the bill were a degree increased, the bird could not 

 procure any sort of food, and the organ destined for the support of life, 

 would infallibly occasion its destruction." The bill of the Avoset may 

 therefore be regarded as the extreme model which nature could trace, 

 or at least preserve. The modern doctrine of types seems to be a legi- 

 timate descendant of this nonsense. In winter they assemble in small 

 flocks of six or seven, and frequent our shores, particularly the mouths 

 of large rivers, in search of worms and marine insects, which they scoop 

 out of the mud or sand. It lays two eggs about the size of those of a 

 pigeon, white, tinged with green, and marked with large black spots ; 

 it is said to be very tenacious of its young ; when disturbed at this season 

 it will fly round in repeated circles, uttering a note that resembles the 

 word twit twice repeated. 



The feet of this bird seem calculated for swimming, but it has never 

 been observed to take the water for that purpose. We remember one 

 of this species being wounded in the wing, and floating with the tide 

 for near a mile, when it was taken up alive without ever attempting to 

 swim ; so that the palmated feet seem only intended to support it on 

 the mud. 



AWL. — A name for the Poppinjay. 



