as far south as the Cape of Good Hope. It is an inhabitant of the salt lakes of Tartary and the shores of 
the Caspian Sea ; and Mr. Swinhoe observed it both in Formosa and China, in which latter country he saw 
it on the banks of the Peiho in November, and frequently met with it in the market at Tientsin ; it also 
occurs in Lower Bengal and other parts of India. 
The genus to which this bird belongs is very limited in the number of its members, only four species being- 
known ; these are the European Recurvirostra Avocetta, the R. americana of North America, the R. ruhricollis 
of Australia, and the R. occklentalis, if the bird so called be not identical with R. americana. 
Latham states that the Avocet is said to feed on “worms and insects collected from the mud, chiefly 
Cancer pulew and Locusta (the sea-flea and locust),” and that it is “ often seen to wade far into the water ; it 
will also occasionally swim, but always close to the shore, is very bold in defence of its young, and, when 
disturbed in the breeding-season, hovers over the sportman’s head like a Lapwing, and flies with its legs 
extended. Its note is sharp, and resembles the word twit twice or oftener repeated ; hence it has received 
the trivial name of Yelper. Its actions and the form of its bill have also obtained for it in some counties the 
names of Butter-flip, Scooper, Picarini, Crooked-bill, and Cobbler’s Awl.” 
“ At the beginning of this century,” says the Rev. Mr. Lubbock in his Observations on the Fauna of Norfolk, 
“ the Avocet used to breed constantly and in considerable numbers at Horsey, but has not done so of late 
years. On the authority of an old and respectable fen-man, it bred regularly forty years ago near the Seven-mile 
House, on the North River ; occurs still sometimes upon Breydon. The last I know of, positively, in the fens 
was a small flock which visited Sutton Broad in 1828. Avocets used formerly to breed at Salthouse, near 
Holt, but are extinct there. The provincial name is ‘ Shoeing-Horn.’ ” 
Mr. Yarrell states that “ some years ago I was told that more than twenty specimens were received at 
Leadenhall Market for sale within one month, but now scarcely an example appears once a year; the last 
I heard of was in the spring of 1837.” 
After mentioning that Avocets are occasionally, but rarely, met with in the north of England or in Scotland, 
Mr. Selby says, “They assemble in small flocks, and frequent oozy and muddy shores, particularly those of 
the mouths of rivers, where they obtain a plentiful supply of food, consisting of small worms, marine insects, 
and young univalve and bivalve Mollusca. Their mode of feeding is by scooping, or in appearance beating 
the soft mud with their flat and upturned bill ; and when thus engaged, they frequently Avade up to their breasts 
in the pools left by the receding tide. Tliey are never seen to swim voluntarily, although furnished Avith feet 
so extensively palmated as to constitute an admirable provision for enabling them to traverse the soft and 
yielding substance in Avhich they find their food. Their legs also are formed for wading, being laterally com- 
pressed and thin, and thus offering the least possible resistance to their progress through the Avater. They 
are quick and active birds ; and their flight, from the form and dimensions of their wings, is powerful and 
rapid. In spring they resort to those marine marshes AA'hich are only occasionally or partially covered by the 
tide, and select the driest part for the purpose of nidification. If disturbed at this season, particularly Avhen 
the young are first excluded, they fly round in repeated circles, uttering at the same time without inter- 
mission their peculiar cry, Avhich resembles the Avord twit twice repeated.” 
The eggs (which are said to be deposited in a small depression of the surface in the drier part of the 
marsh, either on the bare ground or on a small quantity of dry grass) are two and sometimes three in 
number, of an ochreous brown, spotted and speckled with black, some of the spots appearing as if beneath 
the surface of the shell ; they are about two inches in length by one inch and a half in breadth. “ Some 
specimens,” says Mr. Hewitson, “are larger and more irregularly and closely covered Avith unequal blotches 
of colour, a good deal like those of the PeeAvit, from which they may ahvays be distinguished hy the greater 
quantity of ochreous yellow in the ground-colour.” 
The sexes present little, if any, difference in the colouring of their plumage; neither am I aware that the 
bird is subject to any seasonal change ; having attained their full dress, they are CA^er after distinguished by 
their black and Avhite livery. 
The young, until they are clothed with feathers, closely resemble the young of the Summer Snipe (Actitis 
hjjpoleiicos). It will be seen by the accompanying drawing, that at this early period their legs and toes are 
very similar to those of the adult in colour, except that they are tinged Avith green ; they are, lioAveA'cr, dis 
proportionately large, and very tumid at the joints. 
CroAvn, occiput, nape, back of the neck, scapularies, lesser Aving-coverts, and primaries black ; the remain- 
der of the plumage pure Avhite ; beak black; i rides reddish broAvn ; legs and toes pale blue; Avebs dark 
brown ; nails black. 
The young at about three Aveeks old, Avhen they are beginning to assume their stub-feathers, haA^e a dark 
line before and behind the eye, and the upper surface of a pale creamy broAvn, crossed hy irregular bars of 
dark brown, and a wash of rufous on the scapularies ; some of the more elongated feathers are said to retain 
a reddish-brown tint on their ends until the autumn moult of the bird’s second year of existence. 
The Plate represents an adult and two young birds about three Aveeks old, of the natural size. 
