TURNSTONE. 15 



GENUS XL. STREPSILAS, ILLIGER. 



109. STXEPSILAS 1XTERPRES, ILLIG TBIKGA 1NTERPRES, WILS. 



TURNSTONE. 

 \VILSO X, PLATE LVII. FIG. I. EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 



THIS beautifully variegated species is common to both 

 Europe and America ; consequently extends its migra- 

 tions far to the north. It arrives from the south on 

 the shores of New Jersey in April ; leaves them early 

 in June ; is seen on its return to the south in October; 

 and continues to be occasionally seen until the com- 

 mencement of cold weather, when it disappears for the 

 season. It is rather a scarce species in this part of the 

 world, and of a solitary disposition, seldom mingling 

 among the large flocks of other sandpipers ; but either 

 coursing the sands alone, or in company with two or 

 three of its own species. On the coast of Cape May 

 and Egg Harbour, this bird is well known by the name 

 of the horse-foot snipe, from its living, during the 

 months of May and June, almost wholly on the eggs 

 or spawn of the great king crab, called here by the 

 common people the horse-foot. This animal is the 

 monoculus polyhemus of entomologists. Its usual size 

 is from twelve to fifteen inches in breadth, by two feet 

 in length ; though sometimes it is found much larger. 

 The head, or forepart, is semicircular, and convex 

 above, covered with a thin, elastic, shelly case. The 

 lower side is concave, where it is furnished with feet 

 and claws resembling those of a crab. The posterior 

 extremity consists of a long, hard, pointed, dagger-like 

 tail, by means of which, when overset by the waves, 

 the animal turns itself on its belly again. The male 

 may be distinguished from the female by his twt> 

 large claws having only a single hook each, instead of 

 the forceps of the female. In the bay of Delaware, 

 below Egg Island, and in what is usually called Maurice 

 River Cove, these creatures seem to have formed one of 

 their principal settlements. The bottom of this cove 



