Mr. A. E. Knox on the Habits of the Black-winged Stilt. 395 
does not extend so far down upon the breast. The under wing- 
coverts are rufous brown, whereas those of P. aglaice are black 
and white. 
The black of the head and neck is separated from the 
plumbeous of the back by a narrow line of ash-colour; and the 
ears are tinged with purple. Beneath, this species is much 
lighter than P. aglaice , being ashy white. 
The tail is brown, edged with ash—but emarginate, whilst that 
of P. aglaice is round. 
The specimen from which the description is taken is an adult 
male, received by M. Verreaux from Mexico, in 1858. The 
female has not yet, to my knowledge, been met with. I give 
below a measurement of the two species. 
P. aglaice. P. ajftnis. 
Length . . 
. . 7 00 
Length . . . 
. 6°00 
Wing 
. . 3-60 
Wing .... 
. 3*45 
Tail .... 
. . 3-30 
Tail ..... 
. 2-90 
Tarsus . . . 
. . 1-00 
Tarsus .... 
. -82 
Middle toe . . 
. . -60 
Middle toe . . . 
. *55 
Bill above . , 
. . *68 
Bill above . . . 
. *50 
„ along gape 
. . *95 
„ : along gape . 
. *65 
Width of bill at nostrils *40 Width of bill at nostrils *30 
XXXIX.— On the Habits of the Black-winged Stilt } as observed 
on its occurrence in Sussex. By A. E. Knox. 
On the 17th of May last, a specimen of the Black-winged Stilt 
(Himantopus melanopterus) was killed on the banks of a small 
pond about a mile from this place, in a partially enclosed district 
surrounded by unreclaimed moorland, near the junction of Mid¬ 
hurst and Bepton commons. 
This is the first time that the Stilt has ever been obtained or 
seen in the county of Sussex; and it would appear to be nearly 
equally scarce in all parts of the British Islands. 
Opportunities for observing the habits and manners of these 
rare and accidental visitors so seldom occur, that I shall make 
no apology for the length of this communication. Apart, how¬ 
ever, from the rarity of the species, there are circumstances 
