THE AVOCET 
569 
The Common Sandpiper, or Summer Snipe, is a well-known visitor to northern Europe, 
and has derived its name of Summer Snipe from its habit of remaining there only during the 
summer months, arriving about April or May and leaving before October. 
The Stilt Sandpiper ( Micropalma Jiimantopus ) is a native American bird. It is not 
observed west of the Rocky Mountains, and is rather rare in the United States. In the West 
Indies, Central America, and the most of South America it occurs. It breeds in high latitudes, 
and is occasionally taken in New England during the migrating season. 
Dr. Coues says of it : “ This is a very remarkable Sandpiper, connecting this group with 
the true snipes by means of Macrorhamphus , with which its relationships are very close. Its 
pattern of coloration and changes of plumage are much as in M. griseus. The bill is quite 
snipe-like, though shorter ; the legs are very long, relatively exceeding those of Macrorham- 
pTius , and there are two basal 
webs to the toes, as in EreunetesE 
The Ayocet is one of the 
most remarkable among Euro- 
pean birds, and is easily recogniz- 
able by its long, curiously-curved 
beak, and its boldly pied plum- 
age. 
The Avocet is not a common 
bird in northern countries of 
Europe, and is now but seldom 
seen, though in former days it 
used to be tolerably plentiful on 
the sea-coasts and in marshy 
lands. The long and oddly - 
curved beak is very slender and 
pointed, and from its peculiar 
shape has earned for its owner 
the name of Cobbler’s Awl Bird. 
While obtaining its food the 
Avocet scoops the mud with its 
beak, leaving sundry unmistak- 
able marks behind ; and is called 
in some countries the Scooper. 
The food of the Avocet consists 
almost wholly of worms, insects, 
and little crustaceans ; and while 
the bird is engaged in the search 
avocet. itecurvirostra avocetta. after these creatures it paddles 
over the oozy mud with its 
webbed feet and traverses the soft surface with much ease and some celerity. The cry of the 
Avocet is a sharp, shrill kind of yelp, and is uttered whenever the bird is alarmed. The 
flight is strong and rapid. 
The nest of the Avocet is placed on the ground in some convenient hollow, and the eggs 
are yellowish-brown with black marks. The mother will feign lameness when observed, like 
the preceding species. 
The greater part of the plumage of this bird is pure white, but the top of the head, the 
back of the neck, the scapularies, lesser wing-coverts, and the primaries are jetty black. It is 
a rather large bird, measuring about eighteen inches in total length. The beak is extremely 
thin, and has been well compared by Yarrell to £C+ wo thin pieces of whalebone coming to a 
point and curving upwards,” 
Vox.. II.- 73. ' 
