DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Plectrophanes. Meyer, Taschenbuch der deutschen Vögelkunde III. p. 56. (1822.)

Bill short, conical, strong; nostrils basal, partially concealed; wing rather long; first, second, and third quills longest; tail moderate, or short, usually even at the end, or emarginate; legs and feet moderately strong; hind toe with the claw long, somewhat like that of the Larks (Alauda).

Plectrophanes McCownii. Lawrence, Annals of the New York Lyceum of Natural History, VI. p. 122. (1851.)

Form. Bill very strong, wide, and somewhat tumid at base; wing long; secondaries emarginate; tertiaries longer than secondaries; second primary longest; tail rather short, slightly emarginate; legs moderate; hind claw long; coverts of the tail long.

Dimensions. Male.—Total length of skin, 5½ inches; wing, 3½; tail, 2¼ inches.

Colors. Male.—Head above, from the base of the bill, stripe on each side of the neck from lower mandible, and wide transverse band on the breast, black; lesser coverts of the wing chestnut; neck behind and body above dark brown and brownish-ashy, every feather with a central stripe of the former and edged with the latter; under-parts (except the breast) white, all the feathers, with a basal portion, ashy-black, particularly observable immediately below the black of the breast; quills brown, edged outwardly with yellowish cinereous, on their inner-webs with white; two central feathers of the tail brown, others white, tipped with brown; bill and feet light-colored. Female.—Entire plumage above dark brown and brownish-ashy; beneath white, tinged with dull yellowish on the throat and breast; no black on the head or breast.

Hab. California, New Mexico, Texas. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington.

Obs. This little species is strictly of the same group as Plectrophanes ornatus and pictus, and, like them, appears to be exclusively western. It does not resemble those species in such degree as to be liable to be mistaken for either of them.

The original description of this bird by Mr. Lawrence, as above cited, appears to have been made from its winter plumage. Its dedication to Capt. McCown, we regard as a highly appropriate acknowledgement of his valuable services in the investigation of the ornithology of the southwestern regions of the United States.

RECURVIROSTRA OCCIDENTALIS.—Vigors.
The Western Avocet. The White Avocet.
PLATE XL. Adult Male.

This is a second American species of this singular group of birds, and is as yet only known as an inhabitant of the regions of the far west. This apparent restriction in the locality of the present bird is the more remarkable, as the previously-known species, distinguished as the American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana), is widely diffused, having been ascertained to be abundant in the vicinity of Hudson’s Bay in the summer season, and thence, through a wide central region of North America, to Texas. Occasionally it is noticed on the coast of the Atlantic, sparingly north of New Jersey, but becoming more numerous southwardly.

This species was discovered at San Francisco, California, by the naturalists attached to H. B. M. ship Blossom, then on a voyage of discovery in the Pacific ocean; and although that occurred about the year 1825, it has been again noticed only by Col. McCall and Dr. Heermann, both of whom, however, represent it as being by no means a rare bird.

With his usual kindness, Col. McCall has furnished the following notice of this bird for our present article:—

“At the village of San Elizario, 22 miles south of El Paso, on the 16th October, 1851, I found small flocks of the Western Avocet feeding along the banks of the Rio Grande, and frequenting the sloughs and pools in its vicinity, whilst moving to the South in the course of their regular autumnal migration. They were tame and unsuspicious, and evidently ignorant of the destructive character of the gun, for its report seemed to create little alarm, even when the discharge carried death into their ranks. To illustrate this, I need only mention the fact that the first flock which came immediately under my observation alighted within twenty yards of the piazza where I was sitting on the morning after my arrival. They waded at once into the shoal water of a ‘cut-off’ from the river which passed immediately in front of the house, and began to feed. I was near enough to see them immerse their bills into the water, and search the soft mud below for their prey; and as they, from time to time, were scattered, and again assembled in a group, I had ample time and an excellent opportunity to note their manner of feeding. I was soon satisfied that in this respect their habits did not differ from those of R. americana, which I had previously seen in great numbers, and closely observed on the borders of the Oso river, in southern Texas. After watching them for some time, I took my gun, and at a single discharge, secured five of the dozen that composed the flock. The remainder flew the distance of a stone’s throw, and alighting in shoal water, began to feed again without appearing to notice the loss of their companions. I followed them, and in a few minutes procured three more within one hundred yards of the house. During that day, and several successive days that I remained at the post, I saw flocks of from six to ten on their feeding grounds, both morning and afternoon. I shot them, as well as ducks and snipe, daily; and at no time that I recollect, had I any difficulty in approaching within easy gun-shot.

Plate 40
The White Avocet
Recurvirostra occidentalis (Vigors)

“A few days previously, I had seen a very large flock of these birds near Val Verde, some 170 miles further up the river. This flock contained fifty or sixty birds; they rose near me as I fired at a flock of Teal, and circled round in very compact order, presenting the beautiful contrast of their white and black markings, and at length settled on the opposite side of the pond, where they were beyond pursuit. The occasions here mentioned are the only ones on which I have met with R. occidentalis.

“On the wing, the flocks were usually closely compacted; the flight was buoyant, and with little exertion of muscular force.”

Dr. Heermann found this bird in California, and procured numerous specimens, now in the National Museum, Washington, and in the Museum of the Philadelphia Academy. In his manuscripts We find the following:—

“This species was observed in various parts of California, resorting to the shallow pools, in which it waded breast-deep, usually finding on the soft muddy bottom a plentiful feast of insects and snails. Although partially web-footed, it does not swim, so far as I have noticed, unless wounded, when it takes immediately to the deep water, swimming with great celerity, soon getting beyond range, if not at once disabled by a second shot. I have noticed this bird in abundance on the borders of the reedy swamps which cover a large portion of the lower part of the Sacramento valley.”

The upward curve of the bill in the birds of this group, though very singular and characteristic, has not been ascertained to be indicative of any peculiarity of habits.