TURNSTONE. 161 



Eggs. Clutch, four ; ground-colour pale green, marked all over, but more 

 on the larger end, with irregular markings of olive-brown and lavender ; axis 40- 

 43 mm., diameter 30. 



Breeding-season. June and July. (East Siberia.) 



Distribution and forms. Breeding right round the Pole in the Arctic Regions 

 and wandering southwards almost to the Antarctic Circle in winter. Three sub- 

 species are recognisable : the European A. i. interpres (Linne) ; the American 

 A. i. morinella (Linne) a much paler race, the chestnut on the back being lighter 

 and more pronounced ; and A. i. oahuensis (Bloxham) the form visiting Australia, 

 perhaps breeding north of Alaska, somewhat intermediate in coloration, darker than 

 American but paler than Europeai), and also intermediate in size, the European 

 being the largest form with probably the longest bill. 



FAMILY CHARADRIHLE. 



The Plover series includes three fairly distinct groups, the Pluvialis 

 ( = Charadrius olim), the Charadrius ( = Mgialiiis olim) and the Cirrepidesmus 

 ( Ochthodromus olim) alliances. The superficial features of these have been fully 

 detailed by Mathews and we may here add that the downy young show that these 

 distinctions are well founded. As regards internal features we may just note that 

 skeletal items of some import occur as confirmation of these divisions, but that 

 detailed accounts have not yet been published. In Pluvialis the leg muscles are 

 recorded as AXY-J-, but in Charadrius the full formula ABXY-f is reported. 

 Intrinsic muscles of the syrinx are also stated to be present in the latter series but 

 absent in the former. 



The Pluvialis series breed in the Arctic and Subarctic regions migrating 

 southwards in winter, two forms more or less commonly occurring in Australia. 

 It might be here noted that some birds remain in the southern hemisphere during 

 the summer and even take on their breeding-plumages but they do not breed. 

 The Charadrius series, with which is here included the Leucopolius group, breed 

 more or less on the littoral throughout the world and the Australian breeding forms 

 number three, one almost indistinguishable from a Palsearctic species, another 

 superficially distinct but easily showing its alliance through its plumage changes 

 with the Palaearctic type, while the third is so specialised as to obscure its descent, 

 though as far as can be gauged of the Charadrius group. The Cirrepidesmus series 

 breed in the southern Palaearctic deserts and migrate southwards to Australia in 

 winter. Further the bill varies in form and coloration as detailed by Mathews, in 

 one form being black, the dertrum more or less strongly developed, the base of the 

 bill not much deeper than the dertrum ; in the other parti -coloured, the dertrum less 

 developed and generally the bill at the base noticeably deeper ; the former occurs 

 in Pluvialis and the shape was termed Pluvialine, the latter is typical of the next 

 family, the Vanellidse, and the shape was termed Vanelline. It would now appear 

 that these terms were well chosen, as osteological studies suggest distinct derivation 

 from the sources indicated. 



Genus SQUATAROLA, 



Squatarola Cuvier, Regne Anim., Vol. I., p. 467 [1817 =] Dec. 7th, 1816. Type (by tau- 

 tonymy) : Tringa squatarola Linne. 



Large Plovers with stout bills, long wings, short legs and strong feet. 



The bill is straight and stout, the dertrum much swollen and rounded, as long- 

 as the head ; the nostrils linear and placed in a groove. The wings are long, and 

 the first primary is longest. Tail rounded. Metatarsus short and covered both in 

 front and behind with hexagonal scales. Outer and middle toes connected by a short 

 web at the base. Minute hind-toe and claw present. 



M 



