72 WADING BIRDS. 



progress in America is in all probability continued as far as the 

 tropics, since their race even extends itself into the other hemi- 

 sphere. Buffon, in fact, figures a specimen of the young bird 

 from Cayenne. In New Jersey, according to Wilson, these 

 birds arrive in the month of April, and there linger until June, 

 very soon after which they are seen at their breeding-quarters 

 on the shores of Hudson Bay and along the desolate strand of 

 the Arctic Sea, where they have been met with by the northern 

 navigators as far as the 75th parallel. They already begin to 

 depart from these remote boreal regions in August, in which 

 month, and even towards the close of July, I have seen young 

 birds for sale in the market of Boston. They visit the shores 

 of Great Britain also about the same time, arriving thence 

 probably from the Arctic shores of Siberia. Five or six weeks 

 later they are observed to visit the borders of the Delaware, 

 and proceed onward to the South as the weather increases in 

 coldness. The most southern summer residence of these birds 

 known, if Mr. Flemming be correct, is the Scottish isles of Zet- 

 land. They are also said to inhabit the isles of the Baltic 

 during summer. In a mere depression of the sand or gravel, 

 along the sea-coast, they are said to drop their eggs, which are 

 four in number, and according to Mr. Hutchins are of an 

 olive green spotted with blackish brown. 



This bird is naturally of a wild and solitary disposition, 

 coursing along the shore by pairs or in small families which 

 have been bred together. In the months of May and June, in 

 New Jersey, they almost wholly feed upon the spawn of the 

 king-crab, or horse-foot {^Monociilus polyphemus, Lin.), which 

 affords them and other animals an abundant and almost inex- 

 haustible supply. 



The Turnstone, while flying, often utters a loud twittering 

 note, and runs at times with its wings lowered, but is less swift 

 in its movements than most of the Sandpipers, and more 

 patient and intent in obtaining its fare. Like the Wood- 

 peckers, it is content to search over the same place for a con- 

 siderable length of time ; the mechanism of its bill seems well 

 provided for this purpose, and it is often seen in this way 



