600 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 

 Family APHRIZID^. 



Surf Birds. 



ARBNARIA, Briss. 



(Strepsilas. Morinella.) 



A. interpres, L. Turnstone. 



Toes four, not webbed ; tarsus seutellate in front, and as long 

 as the sharp-pointed bill ; chest deep black ; head and throat 

 mostly white, upper parts (hisky varied with rufous ; tail coverts, 

 wing coverts, &c., white. Length, Sh inches ; tail, 2h inches. 



"Arrives along our sea-coast in May, and passes on generally 

 to the North, to return again in August, and then remains till 

 October. It probably remains with us during the summer, in 

 small numbers, as twice following violent storms, in the last 

 week of June, in company with certain other strictly marine 

 species, they have been shot at Trenton, on the Delaware. 

 When birds are thus weather-driven so far from the ocean, it is 

 probable they fiy across the State to reach it again, thus account- 

 ing/or their beivg seen inland." 



Family HiEMATOPODIDiE. 



Oyster>catcliers. 



H^MATOPUS, L. 

 H. palliatus, Temm. American Oyster-catcher. 



Legs short, stout and bright colored ; three toes, which are 

 webbed at base ; bill red, woodpecker-like; tarsus reticulate and 

 shorter than bill ; upper parts blackish ; white beneath ; rump, 

 &c., dusky; tail coverts white. Length, 18 inches; tail, 4| 

 inches ; bill, 3 inches. 



" Frequents the sandy beaches of the State, and is never seen 

 inland. About June 1st deposits its eggs in a little basin, hol- 

 lowed out in the sand ; but one brood only is raised. They feed 

 on the small Crustacea. Two or three are generally seen together, 

 but they are nowhere nor at any time abundant in the State." 



