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.
[Illustration: 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.