. Birds that hunt and are hunted; life histories of one hundred and seventy birds of prey, game birds and water fowls . AMERICAN ■> Life size. Avocets and Stilts sickle-bill, curves downward, just the reverse of the avocets;neither is it used under water. The avocet is, perhaps, the best swimmer among thewaders, owing to its webbed toes. The thick, waterproofplumage of its under parts keeps its body dry. When about toalight it chooses either water or land, indifferently; but it is al-ways especially abundant in or about the alkaline marshes of theinterior. Not at all shy of man, it
. Birds that hunt and are hunted; life histories of one hundred and seventy birds of prey, game birds and water fowls . AMERICAN ■> Life size. Avocets and Stilts sickle-bill, curves downward, just the reverse of the avocets;neither is it used under water. The avocet is, perhaps, the best swimmer among thewaders, owing to its webbed toes. The thick, waterproofplumage of its under parts keeps its body dry. When about toalight it chooses either water or land, indifferently; but it is al-ways especially abundant in or about the alkaline marshes of theinterior. Not at all shy of man, it pays little attention to himunless positively pestered, when, springing into the air, andtrailing its long legs stiffly behind to balance its outstretchedneck, it flaps leisurely away to no great distance, calling backclick, click, click, a sharp and plaintive cry. A long sail onmotionless wings, and a drift downward, brings the bird to theground again, but tottering at first, as if it took time to regainits equilibrium, just like a stilt. On alighting, it strikes an ex-quisite pose, lifting its wings till they
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Keywords: ., book, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectuplandgamebirds
