. The birds of South Africa. Birds. 384 CHAEADimDJS KECUEVIEObTKA Nelspoort, February (Layard), Colesberg, breeding (Ortlepp), Wor- cester, Deelfontein, January, Middleburg, July (S. A. Mus.), Port Elizabeth (Eickard); Natal—Newcastle, October (Feilden); German South-west Africa—Ondonga, Otjimbinque, Walfisch Bay, Angra Pequena (Andersson); Zambesi Valley (Kirk). Habits.—The Avocet is usually found along the coast, at the mouths of tidal rivers and on the shores cf lagoons; it is also occasionally met with inland. It is generally seen in small flocks and is somewhat shy and wary. Its diet cons
. The birds of South Africa. Birds. 384 CHAEADimDJS KECUEVIEObTKA Nelspoort, February (Layard), Colesberg, breeding (Ortlepp), Wor- cester, Deelfontein, January, Middleburg, July (S. A. Mus.), Port Elizabeth (Eickard); Natal—Newcastle, October (Feilden); German South-west Africa—Ondonga, Otjimbinque, Walfisch Bay, Angra Pequena (Andersson); Zambesi Valley (Kirk). Habits.—The Avocet is usually found along the coast, at the mouths of tidal rivers and on the shores cf lagoons; it is also occasionally met with inland. It is generally seen in small flocks and is somewhat shy and wary. Its diet consists of small insects and worms and Crustacea; these it obtains on the mud banks, em- ploying its curiously shaped up-curved bill with a sideways scooping action, which leaves a zigzag mark on the soft mud or sand; it may also be observed wading up to the tarsal joints in shallow water; its flesh is said to be good Fig. 125.—Head of Eecurvirostra avocetta. Layard obtained eggs from the Berg Eiver, where it breeds in considerable numbers, and also from the neighbourhood of Coles- berg, where Ortlepp found it nesting in the shallow vleis. Layard describes the nests as being placed on the summit of a slightly raised hummock on marshy ground which is always damp and generally flooded. The nest cavity is lined with dry sedge or grass, and the eggs, usually four in number, are placed with their pointed ends together in the centre. The young are very precocious, running and swimming beautifully within a short time after they are hatched. Eggs in the South African Museum are pale buff, some with a slight greenish tinge spotted and scrolled with dark brown or black, together with a few underlying secondary spots of pale purplish. In shape they are pyriform and pointed and they measure about 2-0 X Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrat
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