922 
HIMANTOPUS CANDIDUS. 
leaves about the end of September, never being seen in winter. “ Near Yarkand in summer the birds are 
found in enormous numbers, frequenting small pools, little lakes, and marshy ground.” It breeds throughout 
Turkestan up to an elevation of 4000 feet (Severtzoff) . Pallas met with it, according to Jerdon, at “ salt 
lakes in Central Asia.” Prjevalsky writes that it “ breeds on the Hoang-ho only about small lakes and in 
marshes. Some birds were observed on the 23rd of April.” He considers that the bend ot the Hoang-ho 
forms the northern limit of its distribution, it not having been recorded from Lake Baikal or the Amoor. 
Eastwards it is found in China, but not so far north as Japan. In the former country it was met with in 
the Pekiu district by Pere David. It probably occurs further south, as it has been known to wander to the 
Philippines, where it was procured in Luzon by Von Martens. Turning westward again, we find it in Palestine 
and Asia Minor ; and in the former country (if not in the latter) it is resident and breeds, according to 
Canon Tristram. In Europe it is common in the southern portion, frequenting the shores of the Black Sea 
and the Lower Danube, breeding at Kustendji. It passes through Greece, and arrives in the Epirus in March, 
April, and May, breeding, according to Lord Lilford, in great numbers further north in Dalmatia. It occurs 
on passage in the islands of the Mediterranean, but appears to be a winter visitor to Sardinia. It passes 
through Transylvania in small numbers in the spring, and is occasionally met with at that season in Southern 
Germany. It has bred in Saxony ; but further north it is a straggler, having occurred as high up as Denmark 
on three occasions only. It has been killed a good many times in England, and has been observed in 
Scotland near Dumfries, and on the Clyde, as also in Forfarshire and Perthshire. It has strayed as far north 
as the Orkneys and Shetlands, and has also occurred in Ireland. In Belgium, as also in France, it is a 
straggler. It breeds in Spain in the marshes of the Coto del Rey, where it was found by Mr. Howard 
Saunders ; and in Portugal it is said to be not uncommon. It is abundant near Gibraltar, and in “ the 
marismas of the Guadalquiver their numbers are,” says Col. Irby, “ perfectly marvellous.” It is migratory 
to this district, passing north towards the end of March and beginning of April ; and though a few remain in 
the winter, they disappear for the most part in October. Eggs are laid, according to this writer, as early as 
the 28th of April. In Morocco it is very abundant, particularly at Masharalhaddar. Favier states that it 
frequents the freshwater lakes south of Tangier, breeding there. A few were met with in this region by 
Mr. T. Drake. In Algeria it is not uncommon ; and it was found nesting at Laghouat by Canon Tristram. 
In Egypt and Nubia it is very abundant, especially in the Delta. Von Heuglin found it breeding in the 
latter district, and believes that it nests in Central Egypt, Fayoom, Nubia, and also in the marshes of Kordofan 
and Sennaar. He did not meet with it on the Upper White Nile, nor in the highlands of Habesh, but found 
it in all other parts throughout the year, though more common in the winter than in the summer. It extends 
down the east coast to the Cape, and has been procured on the west coast of Madagascar. It is, however, 
by way of the West Coast that it chiefly wanders south, for it is recorded from Bengal, Casamanza, and Accra. 
In this latter place Capt. Shelley met with it. In Gaboon and Benguela Professor B. du Bocage met with it ; 
and in Damara Land it was procured by Mr. Andersson. Layard remarks that up to his time only one 
specimen had been killed in Cape colony by a Mr. Dumbleton, who obtained it on the Cape flats, where a 
pair only were seen. 
Habits . — The extremely long legs with which this handsome bird is furnished enables it to wade in 
water where other species could not ; and it consequently has a partiality for flooded marshes and swampy 
land, the edges of shallow, though not weedy tanks, and such like, where it may be seen stalking about, 
sometimes in comparatively deep water, every now and then thrusting its bill into it and picking up some 
minute crustacean or aquatic insect. The body is held erect, the neck slightly drawn back, and the bill 
nearly horizontal when it is walking. It associates in small flocks of a dozen or more, the members of which 
feed in scattered company, but form at once a compact body when the flock is put on the wing ; the flight 
is performed with quick, regular beatings of the wings, and is not very swift, though steady and straight-on- 
end ; the long red legs are carried straight out behind and at full extent. In the breeding-season it is 
very watchful and extremely noisy. Long before the intruder is near the breeding-ground he is sure to be 
made aware of the presence of these Stilts by their rising up in the air and hovering or supporting themselves 
with quick flapping of the wings, progressing slowly forward over the ground containing their eggs and young ; 
