6 CHAEADEILD^. 



uniform grey shingle with scattered patches of brown herbage. For upwards of 

 an hour did we cross and re-cross an area of about fifty square yards, within 

 which limits my companion was positive that the nest was placed, the parents 

 flying round in much agitation all the time. At last, in despair of thus finding 

 the eggs, and fearful, moreover, of treading on them, I withdrew to a hillock 

 about a hundred yards off, and watched the female through my field-glass, the 

 male having deserted his post when he thought we had left. After a few minutes 

 she alighted, and while watching her threading her way for about ten yards among 

 the stones, to my delight, four eggs came within my field, and in another second 

 she was between me and them. Even then, so exactly did both eggs and parent 

 resemble their surroundings, it was with difficulty we could see the nest, and, 

 even while actually looking at the eggs, it was hard to distinguish them from tlie 

 pebbles and herbage around. The nest was composed of white lichen and 

 Dryas-leaves, loosely laid together upon a hollow in the turf of the latter. The 

 eggs were ratlier pointed, and in colour and marking like those of the Long-tailed 

 Skua, with the ground-colour less greenish in shade. In Polaris Bay Dr. Coppinger 

 observed Turnstones frequently in July 1876." 



Mr. H. Seebohm describes the eggs of the Turnstone as follows * : — " The 

 eggs are four in number, differing considerably from those of the typical Plovers, 

 and approaching much more closely those of tlie Sandpipers. They vary from 

 pale olive-green of different shades to pale buff in ground-colour, dashed, clouded, 

 sjiotted, and blotched with olive-brown and very dark brown, and with underlying- 

 markings of purplish grey. Some specimens are boldly streaked -with, dark 

 brown, especially on the larger end, others have most of the larger markings 

 running in an oblique direction round the surface. Some are much more richly 

 marked than others ; occasionally the markings are blurred and indistinct, whilst 

 on others they are bold and well defined. They vary in length from 1'7 to 1'52 

 inch, and in breadth from 1"2 to I'l inch. The eggs of the Turnstone cannot be 

 confused with those of any British Plover, nor easily with those of any of the 

 Sandpipers. Perhaps they most resemble certain varieties of the Common Snipe, 

 though they are seen to be very different when compared. Only one brood is 

 reared in the year ; and both male and female appear to take turns in the work 

 of incubation." 



The late Dr. T. M. Brewer states that the eggs of this species vary in length 

 from 172 to 1*6 inch, and in breadth from 1-23 to 1'13 inch, averaging about 1-G6 

 by 1-18 inch.t 



* ' History of British Birds,' vol. iii. p. 14. 



t ' "Water Birds of North America,' vol. i- p. 124. 



