Birds of Canada. 79 
and the rest of the plumage is pure white; bill, 
three inches long, and flattened sideways. 
Hf. niger.—Backman’s Oyster-catcher. 
The general color of this bird is dark brown ; 
head and breast, brownish black. It is occasionally 
shot, in the fall, on the island opposite Toronto. 
Strepsilas interpres—The Turnstone. 
The Turnstone breeds in Manitoba... Visits 
Canada in small numbers in the spring and fall. 
Color, black, rufous, and white above ; abdomen, 
white; head and neck, marked with stripes of 
brownish-black. 
S. melanocephala—The Black Turnstone. 
This species is an accidental visitor. Color, 
darker than the preceding. Length, eleven inches. 
PAMIDVedwECURVIROSTRIDAS. 27 
AV OSIEES: 
AMERICAN AVOSET. 
Recurvirostra amecricana.—The American Avoset. 
The Avoset is quite accidental in Canada. On 
