THE PLOVER TRIBE 2265 



Long associated with the plovers, which they resemble in general 

 bodily conformation and the shortness of the beak, the turnstones are 

 classed by Mr. Seebohm with the snipes; and whether such an arrangement be nat- 

 ural or artificial, it certainly enables us to define the third subfamily, or Scolopacinte , 

 with ease and exactness. Its members may be distinguished from the preceding 

 forms by their toes being free to the base, and having no trace of webs. The turn- 

 stones differ from the other members of the assemblage, and thereby, resemble the 

 plovers, in that the nostrils extend beyond the basal fourth of the beak, the beak 

 itself being short, thick at the base, tapering, and somewhat conical, while the meta- 

 tarsus is covered with scutes in front, and reticulated behind. In the elongated 

 wings the first quill is the longest, and the short and nearly even tail includes twelve 

 feathers. The tibia is bare for a short distance, and the first toe is present. The 

 turnstones are represented by three species, all of which breed in the Arctic regions, 

 and migrate south in winter. The common turnstone (Strepsilas interpres), which 

 is a circumpolar species, visiting the British coasts in autumn and spring, and occa- 

 sionally tarrying there for the winter, may be recognized by its pure white chin and 

 throat, the general coloration of the plumage being mottled black, white, and chest- 

 nut, and the total length of the bird nine and one-half inches. The black turnstone 

 (S. melanocephalus) of Western North America, in addition to its broader wings, 

 differs by the white lower back,, and the absence of a pure white throat and neck, 

 while the plover-billed turnstone (S. virgatus), from the Pacific coast of America, 

 may always be recognized by the vaulted extremity of its beak, and the brown color 

 of the lower back. 



The common turnstone, which in winter is one of the most cosmopolitan of 

 birds, occurring as far away from its northern home as South America and New 

 Zealand, takes its name from its habit of overturning pebbles and other stones with 

 its beak for the purpose of obtaining the various marine creatures that lurk beneath 

 their shelter. In such tasks the breast as well as the beak is occasionally brought 

 into requisition; and an instance is on record where three of these birds combined 

 their forces in order to overturn a stranded fish. Except during migration, the 

 turnstone is essentially a littoral bird; and in Britain it is generally seen in pairs or 

 small parties, frequently in association with other waders. Although generally 

 running along the shore, and taking short flights when disturbed, it is not destitute 

 of the power of swimming, and its cry is a clear loud whistle. The nest is but a 

 poor affair, consisting of a sparsely-lined hollow in the sand; and the four spotted 

 eggs differ in coloration from those of the plovers, and resemble those of the sand- 

 pipers and snipe. The slight difference between the summer and winter dress of 

 these birds affords further evidence of their scolopaceous affinities. 



Under this general title may be grouped a considerable assemblage 

 S d i er ^ sma ^ wa ding birds, of which the knot ( Tringa canutui) , the dunlin 

 (7! alpina), the broad -billed sandpiper (T. platyrhyncha} , the little 

 stint (7! minuta), and the sanderling (Calidris arenaria), are familiar British ex- 

 amples, the last named forming a genus by itself on account of the absence of the 

 first toe, which is present in the remainder. These birds differ from the turnstones 

 in that the nostrils are situated in the basal fourth of the beak, and in the metatarsus 



