16 
BULLETIN 1359, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Table 3. — Material identified in the food of the avocet as determined from the 
examination of 67 stomachs, and the number of stomachs in which each item 
was found — Continued 
Animal Matter— Continued 
Trichoptera (caddisflies) 
Caddisfly larvae 
Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) 
Caterpillars. 
Coleoptera (beetles) 
Bembidion insulatum 
Bembidion scudderi 
Bembidion sp 
Pterostichus sp 
Selenophorus sp 
Peltodytes callosus 
Other Haliplidae (crawling water-beetles) 
Coelambus sp 
Hydroporus sp 
Dytiscidse (larvae) 
Other Dytiscidas (predacious diving beetles). 
Helophorus sp 
Tropisternus sp_ 
Berosus sp 
Berosus sp. (larvae) 
Hydrophilidse (water - scavenger beetles) 
(larvae) 
Heterocerus sp 
Tenebrionidse 
Phytonomous sp 
Hyperodes sp 
Other Curculionidae (weevils)i .'.. 
Sphenophorus ochreus (billbug) 
Sphenophorus mormon (billbug) 
Sphenophorus sp. (billbug) 
Other coleopterans (including larvse) 
Diptera (flies) 
Tipulidse (crane flies) (larvae) 
Chironomus sp. (larvae) 
Other Chironomidae (gnats) (larvse) 
Ephydra gracilis (alkali flies) (adults and 
larvae) 
Ephydra hians (larvae) 
Ephydra sp 
Other dipteran larvse and pupae 
Animal Matter — Continued 
Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) 
Larridse. 
Ant 
Braconidse 
Other hymenopterans. 
Araneida (spiders) 
Spiders. 
Mollusca (snails and mussels) 
Physa gyrina 
Planorbis trivolvis 
Planorbis sp 
Other mollusks (eggs) . 
Pisces (fishes) 
Leuciscus lineatus. 
Other fishes 
Amphibia (frogs, toads, and salamanders) 
Salamander. 
Vegetable Matter — Seeds 
Marsilea vestita (pepperwort) 
Marsilea sp. (pepperwort) 
Juniperus utahensis (juniper). 
Potamogeton pectinatus (sago pondweed) 
(seeds) 
Potamogeton pectinatus (leaves and stems).. 
Potamogeton sp. (pondweed) 
Ruppia occidentalis (widgeon grass) 
Distichilis spicata (salt grass) 
Scirpus paludosus (bayonet-grass) 
Scirpus sp. (bulrush) 
Other Cyperacese (sedges) 
Polygonum sp. (smartweed) 
Atriplex sp. (saltbush) 
Other Chenopodiaceae 
Legume 
Composite 
Other seeds 
Vegetable rubbish 
BLACK-NECKED STILT 
Himantopus mexicanus 
The black-necked stilt (PL III) is one of the comparatively few 
species of shorebirds that have a center of distribution within the 
Tropics and extend from there northward to within our limits. In 
the western United States the stilt ranges north to southern Oregon, 
northern Utah, and Colorado; in the East it is found at present in 
Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, though formerly it nested as far north 
as Delaware Bay or possibly even more northern latitudes. 
In the West during the breeding season stilts are found in company 
with avocets about shallow pools and lakes or on the muddy banks of 
channels running through lowland marshes. Though usually less 
common than their larger neighbors, they add to the uproar and 
excitement when the breeding colonies are invaded. Stilts are not 
so demonstrative as avocets and remain more in the background, 
where the steady repetition of their sharp notes furnishes a y-elping 
accompaniment to the more vociferous outbursts of the others. 
When greatly excited, stilts spring in the air and circle about or, 
with steadily beating wings, remain stationary a few feet from the 
