Shore-bird Shooting 485 



tic Coast the turnstone is well known as one of 

 the smaller varieties of big birds that " make up " 

 the bag, and in many localities the name chicken 

 is applied to this species. They come readily to 

 decoys, and often the harsh, twittering note is the 

 first evidence of their presence, and the gunner 

 turns in time to see a bird quartering off to one 

 side, just out of reach. The flight is graceful and 

 fast ; when suddenly alarmed by the blind a quick 

 turn often makes the mark a hard one. Toward 

 the end of September the young of the year 

 appear and remain about our shores until late in 

 the month. They lack the bright coloring of the 

 adult bird, but at a short distance the general 

 effect is the same. Turnstone are most often 

 seen in small flocks and have no hesitation in 

 associating with any of the numerous variety of 

 shore-birds, big or little. In April the familiar 

 note tells of their arrival on our southern shores, 

 and we see them frequenting the same routes 

 they left the summer before, stopping awhile 

 before passing on to the final destination in the 

 remote Arctic regions. These are reached in 

 June. The nest is placed on the ground, some- 

 times sheltered by a low-growing shrub. In the 

 breeding season the male gives its alarm note if 

 the nest is approached, and then both birds fly 

 to high ground, perching on rocks, if such are 

 present, and watch silently, not moving while 



