TURNSTONES, OYSTER-CATCHERS. 177 



283* Arenaria interpres {Linn.). Turnstone; Brant Bird; 



Calico-back. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts, including wings, strikingly 

 variegated with rufous, black, and white ; tail white at the base, a black band 

 near its end, and tipped with white ; throat and breast black and white ; belly 

 white. Winter plumage. — Upper parts blackish, bordered with brownish 

 gray or ashy ; lower back white ; longer upper tail-coverts white, shorter ones 

 black; tail as in the adult; throat white, breast black margined with white, 

 belly white. L., 9-50 ; W., 6-OU ; Tar., -95 ; B., 1-00. 



Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan ; breeds in the arctic regions, and in Amer- 

 ica migrates southward to Patagonia. 



Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, common T. V. May ; 

 Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, A. V, 



-Eggs., three to four, clay-color, blotched and scrawled with grayish brown, 

 1-60 X 1-15. 



This strictly maritime species is found singly or in small flocks, 

 generally on the outer beaches, where it obtains its food by turning 

 over shells and pebbles in search of insects, crustaceans, etc. 



Family H^ematopodid^. Oyster-catchers. 



The Oyster-catchers number ten species, represented in most of the 

 warmer parts of the globe. But three species are found in North 

 America, and only one of these occurs in the Eastern States. They are 

 strictly maritime birds, and resort to the outer bars and beaches in 

 search of clams, mussels, etc., exposed by the tide. Their strong bill 

 is used as an oyster-knife to force open the shells of these bivalves. 



386. Hsematopus palliatus Temm. American Oyster-catcher. 



Ad. — Head, neck, and upper breast glossy black, back and wing-coverta olive- 

 brown, secondaries white, primaries fuscous, upper tail-coverts white, base of 

 the tail white, end fuscous, lower breast and belly white. Im. — Similar, but 

 head and neck blackish and upper parts more or less margined with huffy. 

 L., 19-00 ; W., 10-50 ; Tar., 2-40 ; B., 3-40. , 



Range. — Seacoasts of temperate and tropical America, from New Jersey 

 and Lower California to Patagonia; occasional or accidental on the Atlantic 

 coast north to Massachusetts and Grand Menan. 



Long Island, A. V. 



Eggs.^ three to four, buff'y white or creamy buff", rather evenly spotted and 

 blotched with chocolate, 2-20 x 1-55. 



A not uncommon species from southern New Jersey southward ; 

 confined exclusively to the coast. It agrees in habits with other mem- 

 bers of this small family. 



The European Oyster-catcher {285. Hoimatopus ostralegus) is of acci- 

 dental occurrence in Greenland. 

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