12 BRITISH BIRDS. 



CHARADRIUS INTERPRES. 

 TURNSTONE. 



(PLATE 24.) 



, 



Arenaria arenaria, Briss. Orn. v. p. 132 (1760, adult). 

 Arenaria cinerea, Briss. Orn. v. p. 137 (1760, immature). 

 Tringa interpres, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 248 (1766, adult); et auctorum pluri- 



morum Gmelin, Latham, (Temminck), (Naumann), (Saunders), &c. 

 Tringa morinella, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 249 (1766, immature). 

 Tringa hudsonica, Mull. Natursyst. Suppl. p. 114 (1776). 

 Morinella collaris, Meyer, Taschenb. ii. p. 383 (1810). 

 Strepsilas interpres (Linn.), Illiyer, Prodr. p. 263 (1811). 

 Strepsilas collaris (Meyer), Temm. Man. d'Orn. p. 349 (1815). 

 Arenaria interpres (Linn.), Vieill. N. Diet.. cFHist. Nat. xxxiv. p. 345 (1819). 

 Tringa oahuensis, Bloxham, Byroris Voyage of the ' Blonde,' App. p. 251 (1826). 

 Charadrius cinclus, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. ii. p. 148 (1826). 

 Cinclus morinellus (Linn.'), Gray, List Gen. B. p. 85 (1841). 

 Cinclus interpres (Linn.), Gray, Gen. B. iii. p. 549 (1846). 



The Turnstone must be regarded as a visitor to the British Islands on 

 spring and autumn migration, but a few remain during winter. It is more 

 numerous in Scotland and Ireland than in England, and in the former 

 country it may possibly breed. When we bear in mind how little is known 

 of the ornithology of the islands on the wild west and north of Scotland, 

 and remember that it breeds at no great distance from Copenhagen, it is 

 difficult to believe that the Turnstone does not breed on the Hebrides in 

 limited numbers. It has been said to breed in the Channel Islands, but 

 no direct evidence to prove this has been obtained. 



The Turnstone is exclusively a shore-bird, except that it crosses the 

 great continents on spring and autumn migration to and from its winter- 

 quarters. It has not been known to breed south of the Baltic ; but my 

 friend Mr. Ramsay informs me that it is resident on the shores of Lord 

 Howe's Island, whence he has received examples of young with their quills 

 not grown and with down mixed with the feathers. Its breeding-range is 

 supposed to extend as far north as land exists, and during winter there is 

 probably no part of the coasts south of the Arctic circle in either hemi- 

 sphere on which it is not occasionally seen during winter. In California 

 and the adjoining coasts there is a resident species, C. melanocephalus, 

 which differs from the Common Turnstone in having those parts of the 

 plumage which are chestnut replaced by black, and in having no white on 

 the head or neck. 



