BLACK TUEXSrOXE 493 



Speaking of tlie Common and Ruddy turnstones together, San- 

 ford, Bishop and Van Dyke (1903, pp. 485-486) say: "The nest 

 is placed on the ground, sometimes sheltered by a low-growing shrub. 

 In tlie l)i'(H'ding season the male gives its alarm note if the nest is 

 api)roaehed, and then both birds fly to high ground, perching on 

 rocks, if such are present, and watch silenth^, not moving while any' 

 one is near. The nests are hollows in the stonj^ beaches near high- 

 water mark." 



Turnstones take, as food, insects, small Crustacea, small mollusks, 

 and worms. Along the Atlantic coast they feed on the spawn of the 

 horseshoe crab and in northern Florida, according to Audubon, they 

 feed on oysters which have been killed at low tide by the heat of the 

 sun and also on such thin-slielled mollusks as they are able to break 

 open (Forbush, 1912, p. 361). 



Considering the small numbers in wliich Ruddy Turnstones visit 

 California, and also the limited area to which they restrict them- 

 selves, they will pi-obably never be well known to any persons save 

 those who frequent the seashore in special search for its bird life. 



Black Turnstone 



Arena ria melanocepliala (Vigors) 



Other names — Strepsilas melanocephalus. 



Description — AduHs, both sexes, in late spring and summer: Head and neck, 

 back, outer surface of closed wing, and whole breast, deep brownish black, 

 the back and wings with a faint bronzy iridescence; large spot at side of bill, 

 broken stripe over eye, sparse streaking on top and sides of head, neck and 

 chest, and margins of scapulars, white; iris "brown; bill, black" (Sanford, 

 Bishop and Van Dyke, 1903, p. 487); rump white; shorter upper tail coverts 

 solid brownish black, longer upper tail coverts and bases of tail feathers 

 white; terminal half of tail feathers blackish brown, outer ones tipped with 

 white; primaries chiefly brownish black, the shafts white except at tips; 

 tips and inner webs of greater coverts and much of secondaries, white, form- 

 ing a conspicuous band across expanded wing; under surface of wing and 

 axillars, pure white, continuous with white of sides, rump and hinder under 

 surface; under surface of flight feathers drab toward tips; under surface of 

 body behind breast, wholly white; legs and feet "yellowish" (Sanford, Bishop 

 and Van Dyke, loc. cit.); nails black. Adults and immatures, both sexes, in fall 

 and winter: Like adults in summer save that white spot at side of bill is absent, 

 and white streaking about head is less evident. Males: Total length 8..50-9.31 

 inches (216-236 mm.) (five specimens from California); folded wing 5.52-5.89 

 (140.0-149.7); bill along culmen 0.86-0.92 (21.8-23.3) ; tarsus 0.98-1.04 (25.0- 

 26.4) (ten specimens from California). Females: Total length 8.7.5-10.20 (22.2- 

 25.9) (three specimens from California); folded wing 5.62-6.07 (142.5-1.54.0); 

 bill along culmen 0.88-0.98 (22.4-24.8); tarsus 1.01-1.10 (25.7-27.8) (ten speci- 

 mens from California and Alaska). Juvenile plumage: Like that of adults in 

 summer, but white markings on head, neck and sides of chest, absent, feathers 



