TURNSTONE 291 



Manitoba and Ohio; and it extends as far east as the Bermudas and 

 the West Indies. 



Some of the birds which breed in Alaska mi<:^rate down the Pacific 

 coasts of North and South America at about the same dates as the 

 Atlantic coast birds; but large numbers pass down the Asiatic coast, 

 through Japan and China, to islands in the Southern Hemisphere. 

 Doctor Stejneger (1885) says that in the Commander Islands during 

 the latter part of July large flocks return from the north. 



From this time until late autumn enormous masses of them may be seen on 

 tlie killing grounds, near the seal rookeries, where thousands of putrified car- 

 casses of the slain fur seals swarm with myriads of the white larvae of the 

 flesh fly, upon which the pretty turnstones feed and grow exceedingly fat. At 

 sunset they retire to the beach, where they pass the night, not, however, without 

 having performed a soldierlike drill by flying up and down the endless tundra, 

 now in full body, now again in detached divisions, and with admirable pre- 

 cision turning and maneuvering as if obeying the command of a leading 

 ()fl3cer. 



As to the migration on the Pribilof Islands, William Palmer 

 (1899) writes: 



On July 12, 1890, I saw probably the first bird that landed on St. Paul during 

 the fall migration. From that date they daily increased rapidly until by the 

 end of July they swarmed everywhere. They reach the island by way of the 

 northeastern shore and in straggling flocks or singly fly southward through the 

 island during the day, banking up in large numbers when the village killing 

 ground is reached. They spread out on the slopes, resting on the rocks and 

 little hillocks during the day. They soon find the feast awaiting them on the 

 killing ground, and the marks of their work around nearly every seal carcass 

 is soon noticeable. As the water disappears by soakage and evaporation in the 

 village pond they turn up the black sand in thousands of little hillocks, each 

 with a narrow depression made by their bill beside it. At low tide the lagoon 

 beaches are a favorite resting and feeding place. By the end of July many 

 become so fat that they are run down and captured by the young Aleuts. Their 

 departure from St. Paul is quite a feature of the avifaunan exhibition. About 

 6 in the evening a small flock of perhaps 40 birds will rise into the air from 

 about the village pond and uttering loud, shrill cries will fly up to near the 

 hrad of the lagoon. Here making a wide sweep they return, gathering fresh 

 recruits on their way, until the vicinity of the pond is again reached. Sweeping 

 around in a constantly ascending course they return up the lagoon, and turning 

 once more, screaming as they go, and adding to their numbers, they make a 

 straight course high over the village hill and on oiit to sea over the reef point. 

 This invariably took place every evening during the latter part of my stay on 

 the island. It was always the rule that a dense fog bank hung all around the 

 island at that time, so that even the reef jwint was not visible, but the birds 

 went into the fog without the slightest hesitation. They left their landmarks 

 behind. Several flocks averaging about a hundred birds left nearly every 

 evening from the end of July until I left on August 10. The first arrivals on the 

 island were always adults ; the young were not noted for at least 10 days. 

 According to Elliott they all leave the islands after the 10th of September. 



Many of these birds must make the 2,000-mile flight over the ocean 

 from the Commander or Aleutian Islands to the Hawaiian Islands. 



