KON-INDIGEXOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 259 



apparently by the female, but the duration of the period 

 is unknown. 



Diagnostic characters : There is no character by 

 which the eggs of this bird can be distinguished from 

 those of the Common Snipe and its Nearctic represent- 

 ative, Wilson's Snipe. To a certain extent the latter 

 bird does not breed within the same area, not north of 

 the Arctic Circle. If the eggs, however, are not thoroughly 

 well identified, they are worthless as scientific specimens, 

 for they cannot be separated after they have once left 

 the nest. 



Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Strepsilas. 



Sub-family SCOLOPACINyE. 



TURNSTONE. 



Strepsilas interpres {Liniiceus). 



(British : Possibly breeds ; common spring and autumn coasting 

 migrant ; few, winter.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, June. 



Breeding area : Northern Nearctic and Palxarctic 

 regions. The Turnstone probably breeds as far north 

 as land extends in both hemispheres. In Europe it 

 breeds in Iceland, Scandinavia, Denmark, and on some 

 of the Baltic Islands, but its southern breeding limits 

 elsewhere are very imperfectly determined. It is said 

 to breed on Lord Howe's Island, off the coast of New 

 South Wales, and there is ground for believing that it 

 may do so on the Azores and the Canaries. 



Breeding habits : The Turnstone reaches its more 

 southern breeding grounds in May, but not until June 

 those in the far north. On passage it is gregarious, and 



