378 



HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



SEA DOTTEREL. 



greatest part of its time in gluttonous inebriety, 

 perched in solitude on naked and insulated or inacces- 

 sible rocks to which it prudently retires for greater 

 safety from the intrusion of enemies. 



The Turnstone, or Sea Dotterel, (Strepsilus inter- 

 pres) is also a visiter in California. 



This singular marine bird is not only common to 

 the whole northern hemisphere, but extends its colo- 

 nies even to Senegal and the Cape of Good Hope, in 

 the southern half of the globe. Their favorite breed- 

 ing resorts are, however, confined to the inclement re- 

 gions of the north, to which they are in no haste to 

 return, but linger along the coast in the temperate 

 climates for several months, before they attain to the 

 remote and desolate shores of their nativity. Their 

 southern progress in America, is in all probability 

 continued as far as the tropics, since their race even 

 extends itself into the other hemisphere. Buffon, in 

 fact, figures a specimen of the young bird from Cay- 

 enne. In New Jersey, according to Wilson, they 



