File:The birds of America - from drawings made in the United States and their territories (1840) (14565082399).jpg

Identifier: birdsofamericafr06audu (find matches)
Title: The birds of America : from drawings made in the United States and their territories
Year: 1840 (1840s)
Authors: Audubon, John James, 1785-1851 Bowen, John T., ca. 1801-1856?, lithographer
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: New York : Published by J.J. Audubon Philadelphia : J.B. Chevalier
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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pond, which was about two hundred yards inlength, and half as wide, was surrounded by tall bulrushes extending to somedistance from the margin. Near its centre were several islets, eight or tenyards in length, and disposed in a line. Having made my way through therushes, I found the water only a few inches deep; but the mud reached abovemy knees, as I carefully advanced towards the nearest island. The fourbirds kept up a constant noise, remained on wing, and at times dived throughthe air until close to me, evincing their displeasure at my intrusion. Mydesire to shoot them however was restrained by my anxiety to study theirhabits as closely as possible; and as soon as I had searched the differentinlets, and found three nests with eggs, and a female with her brood, I re-turned to my horse, and proceeded to Vincennes, about two miles distant.Next morning at sunrise I was snugly concealed amongst the rushes, with afair view of the whole pond. In about an hour the male ceased to fly over X
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AMERICAN AVOSET. 25 me, and betook themselves to their ordinary occupations, when I noted thefollowing particulars. On alighting, whether on the water or on the ground, the AmericanAvoset keeps its wings raised until it has fairly settled. If in the water, itstands a few minutes balancing its head and neck, somewhat in the mannerof the Tell-tale Godwit. After this it stalks about searching for food, orruns after it, sometimes swimming for a yard or so while passing from oneshallow to another, or wading up to its body, with the wings partially raised.Sometimes they would enter among the rushes, and disappear for severalminutes. They kept apart, hut crossed each others path in hundreds ofways, all perfectly silent, and without shewing the least symptom of enmitytowards each other, although whenever a Sandpiper came near, they wouldinstantly give chase to it. On several occasions, when I purposely sent fortha loud shrill whistle without stirring, they would suddenly cease from theirrambl

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