HIMANTOPUS LEUCOCEPHALUS, Gmdd.
, White-headed Stilt.
Himantopus leucocephalust Gould ip. Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part Y'. 1837, p. 26; and in Syn. Birds of Australia,
Part II.
Djan-jar-uky Aborigines of the lowland districts, of Western Australia.
A lthough the extreme length o f the le g s o f this, bird; as compared with the small size o f its body, would
seem incompatible w ith easy, carriage audvgraeeful deportment, this is in reality not the case, for I never
saw a bird which- Combined more <g|aje o f movement and elegance o f appearance than the White-headed
which Ufor ^^firsji time observed in the month of December, near Mr. Edward Uhr’s station on
the banks o f l l | l l | ' Mokai, where i t was, associated in small docks of from six totwenty in number,
Appearance as they r ^ ^ b n g the margin and knee-deep in the shallows
o f the stream, added greatly to the beauty o f the scepfe.? This part o f the Mokai was one o f the most
beautiful, and to me, ong/pfktfre most interesting localities, I had visited in New South Wales, and I therefore
encamped on its bunkafor some p^^during^wnmh I experienced much hospitality from Mr. Uhr,
and which I feel much pleasure m^uhJiGly acknowledging. I had no difficulty in obtaining as many
Specimens o f this fine bird as I desired; for whep^gjhbt at it would merely pass down the river mid alight
5[^pi^^?a^abrt distance, or fly backwards and forwards in front of the camp. The flocks were composed
^ ^ ^ o th sexes, in the "finest state of plumage j and I ascertained, by dissection of numerous specimens
that the larger birds were the males, which circumstance indicates a greater alliance to the true Plovers
than to the ‘Sandpipers. In this locality the Stilts were feeding entirely on insects and small shelled snails,
which food was^procmed|®?the margin of the stream, or by wading into’the shallows: they ran about with
great celerity, displaying many graceful, lively actions; their flight on the contrary was heavy and inelegant,
and. their long legs streaming out behind gave them a very grotesque appearance: while on the fling they
continually uttered a plaintive piping' cny^:jas if, o f distress, but which they seldom emitted when on the
ground.
I was unable to obtain any information respecting the nidification o f this bird, or to arrive at any conclusion
as to its being a sl^tipnary^r migratory species. It appears to possess an extensive range over the
continent, as besides k p p g it myself in New Wales, I have received specimens both from South
and Western Australia* In the neighbourhood o f Per®; it is sometimes seen in company with the Avocet
(Recurvirostra nibricollis), feeding upon freshwater shrimps* and aquatic insects.
Back o f the neck, back and wings glossy greenish black, the rest of the plumage pure white; irides
pink, margined externally with a deep red r in g ; b|lP|lack; legs and feet deep pink flesh colour, becoming
after death.
The Plate represents a male and a female o f the natural size,;