Range.--Interior of temperate North America, breeding from the latitude of Iowa, northward, and wintering south of the United States. This is the most handsome species of the family, being of a very graceful form, of a grayish and white color, with a broad stripe through the eye and down the neck, where it fades insensibly into a rich chestnut color. It is an exclusively American species and is rarely found near the coast. It builds its nest generally in a tuft of grass, the nests also being of grass. The eggs are of a brownish or greenish buff color, spotted and blotched with black and brown. Size 1.30 × .90. Data.--Larimore, N. D., May 30, 1897. Nest a shallow depression, scratched in the sand, under a tuft of grass on an island. Collector, T. F. Eastgate. [Illustration 140: Male, female, young. Wilson's Phalarope.] [Illustration: Brownish buff.] [Illustration: deco.] [Illustration: left hand margin.] Page 139 AVOCETS and STILTS. Family RECURVIROSTRIDÆ 225. AVOCET. _Recurvirostra americana_. Range.--Western North America, breeding north to Northwest Territory. The Avocet can be known from any other bird by its up-curved bill, light plumage, webbed feet and large size (length about 17 inches). These waders are quite numerous in suitable localities throughout the west, constructing their nests in the grass, bordering marshy places. The nest is simply a lining of grass in a hollow in the ground. They lay three or four eggs of a dark greenish or brownish buff color, boldly marked with brown and black. Size 1.90 × 1.30. Data.--Rush Lake, Assiniboia. Four eggs laid in a depression in the sand, lined with dry weeds. Many birds nesting in the colony. 226. BLACK-NECKED STILT. _Himantopus mexicanus_. Range.--Like the last, this species is rarely found east of the Mississippi, but is very abundant in the United States west of that river. A black and white wader, with extremely long red legs; otherwise a gracefully formed bird. It breeds in large colonies anywhere in its range, making its nests of weeds and sometimes a few twigs, on the ground beside of, or in the marshes. Their eggs number three or four and are brownish or greenish buff with numerous markings of brownish black, these markings being somewhat lengthened and mostly running lengthwise of the shell. They nest during April in the southern parts of their range and through May and June in the northern. Size of eggs 1.80 × 1.25. Data.--Freshwater Lake, southern California, June 5, 1891. Four eggs laid on a mud flat near the water's edge; no nest. Collector, Evan Davis. [Illustration 141: Greenish buff.] [Illustration: American Avocet. Black-necked Stilt.] [Illustration: Greenish buff.] [Illustration: right hand margin.] Page 140 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, Family SCOLOPACIDÆ