TURNSTONE. 161 
Eggs —Ctlutch, four ; ground-colour pale green, marked all over, but more 
on the larger end, with irregular markings of olive-brown and lavender ; axis 40- 
43 mm., diameter 30. 
Breeding-season.—June and July. (Hast Siberia.) 
Distribution and forms.—Breeding right round the Pole in the Arctic Regions 
and wandering southwards almost to the Antarctic Circle in winter. Three sub- 
species are recognisable: the European A. i. interpres (Linné) ; the American 
A. i. morinella (Linné) a much paler race, the chestnut on the back being lighter 
and more pronounced ; and A. 2. oahwensis (Bloxham) the form visiting Australia, 
perhaps breeding north of Alaska, somewhat intermediate in coloration, darker than 
American but paler than European, and also intermediate in size, the Kuropean 
being the largest form with probably the longest bill. 
Famiry CHARADRIIDA. 
The Plover series includes three fairly distinct groups, the Pluvialis 
( = Charadrius olim), the Charadrius (= digialitis olim) and the Cirrepidesmus 
( = Ochthodromus olim) alliances. The superficial features of these have been fully 
detailed by Mathews and we may here add that the downy young show that these 
distinctions are well founded. As regards internal features we may just note that 
skeletal items of some import occur as confirmation of these divisions, but that 
detailed accounts have not yet been published. In Pluvialis the leg muscles are 
recorded as AXY-+, but in Charadrius the full formula ABXY-+ is reported. 
Intrinsic muscles of the syrinx are also stated to be present in the latter series but 
absent in the former. 
The Pluvialis series breed in the Arctic and Subarctic regions migrating 
southwards in winter, two forms more or less commonly occurring in Australia. 
It might be here noted that some birds remain in the southern hemisphere during 
the summer and even take on their breeding-plumages but they do not breed. 
The Charadrius series, with which is here included the Leucopolius group, breed 
more or less on the littoral throughout the world and the Australian breeding forms 
number three, one almost indistinguishable from a Palearctic species, another 
superficially distinct but easily showing its alliance through its plumage changes 
with the Palearctic type, while the third is so specialised as to obscure its descent, 
though as far as can be gauged of the Charadrius group. The Cirrepidesmus series 
breed in the southern Palearctic deserts and migrate southwards to Australia in 
winter. Further the bill varies in form and coloration as detailed by Mathews, in 
one form being black, the dertrum more or less strongly developed, the base of the 
bill not much deeper than the dertrum ; in the other parti-coloured, the dertrum less 
developed and generally the bill at the base noticeably deeper ; the former occurs 
in Pluvialis and the shape was termed Pluvialine, the latter is typical of the next 
family, the Vanellide, and the shape was termed Vanelline. It would now appear 
that these terms were well chosen, as osteological studies suggest distinct derivation 
from the sources indicated. 
Genus SQUATAROLA. 
Squatarola Cuvier, Régne Anim., Vol. I., p. 467 [1817 =] Dec. 7th, 1816. Type (by tau- 
tonymy): Tringa squatarola Linné. 
Large Plovers with stout bills, long wings, short legs and strong feet. 
The bill is straight and stout, the dertrum much swollen and rounded, as long 
as the head ; the nostrils linear and placed in a groove. The wings are long, and 
the first primary is longest. Tail rounded. Metatarsus short and covered both in 
front and behind with hexagonal scales. Outer and middle toes connected by a short 
web at the base. Minute hind-toe and claw present. 
M 
