BIRDS OF NEW YORK 357 



This species can be regarded only as an accidental summer visitant on 

 our shores. It is a maritime species, inhabiting the coast of America from 

 Long Island and southern California to Peru and Brazil. 



Family ^M-iliX A. I^;II I J AE 



Tiinisioncs 



Bill shorter than head, constricted at base, somewhat concave above 

 the nostrils, slightly bent up, and tapering from the middle to a rather 

 sharp point; nasal groove broad and shallow, similar to plover; legs rather 

 short and stout, scutellate in front; toes free, very naiTowly margined, 

 the hallux large for this order, reaching the ground; wings long and pointed ; 

 tail short, slighth' rotmded; plumage pied or somber. 



The tumstones are a family of three or four species, evidently related 

 to plovers and oyster catchers. Our single species and its European 

 representative are of holarctic distribution and perfonn extensive migra- 

 tions. Their common and scientific names refer to the habit of turning 

 over stones in search of insects for which occupation their bill is admiral >h- 

 fitted. 



Arenaria interpres morinella (Linnaeus) 



(.\rcnaria m..riiiclla nn plate) 



Ruddy Titiiistouc 



Plate 33 



Tringa interpres Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. lo. 17 58. i: 148. (Part) 

 S t r e p s i 1 a s i n t er p r e s DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2. ]i. 2 i 6, fig. 182 

 Arenaria interpres A. O. U. Check List. 1895. Xo. 283 



arcna'ria, Lat., pertaining to sand; inter' pres, Lat., interpreter 



Description. Upper parts varied with chestnut or bright nijons, black 

 and white; top of head buffy white streaked with blackish, remainder of 

 head, neck and forebreast pied black and white, black predominating on the 

 chest and extending down the sides of breast; rest of vmder parts, lower 

 back, and longer tail coverts white; subterminal zone of the tail black; base 

 and narrow tip of tail white; primaries blackish, white toward the base of 

 middle web; inner secondaries white; greater coverts tipped with white; 

 bill black; feet orange-red. Female: Similar, but most of the itifous 

 replaced with gravish brown, the black less intense. Winter and yoitng: 

 The chestnut wanting, and the black mostly replaced by brown and gra\-. 



Length 8.5-9.8 inches; extent 16-19.25; wing 5.5-6; tail 2.6; tarsus i ; 

 middle toe and claw i-i.i; bill .8-. 9. 



