52 TURNSTONE. 



October, 1849; it was a young one. The following much 

 more extraordinary occurrence is narrated by Mr. Edward, in 

 the same magazine, pages 3077-8-9: 



'Passing along the sea-shore on the West of Banff, I 

 observed on the sands, at a considerable distance before me, 

 two birds beside a large-looking object. Knowing by their 

 appearance that they did not belong to the species which 

 are usually met with in this quarter, I left the beach, and 

 proceeded along the adjoining links, an eminence of shingle 

 intervening, until I concluded that I was about opposite to 

 the spot where the objects of my search were employed. 

 Stooping down with my gun upon my back, prepared for 

 action, I managed to crawl through the bents and across the 

 shingle for a considerable way, when I at length came in 

 sight of two little workers, who were busily endeavouring to 

 turn over a dead fish, which was fully six times their size. 

 I immediately recognised them as Turnstones. Not wishing 

 to disturb them, anxious at the same time to witness their 

 operations, and observing that a few paces nearer them there 

 was a deep hollow among the shingle, I contrived to creep 

 into it unobserved. 



I was now distant from them but about ten yards; and 

 had a distinct and unobserved view of all their movements. 

 In these there was evinced that extraordinary degree of 

 sagacity and perseverance, which comes under the notice only 

 of those who watch the habits of the lower creation with 

 patience and assiduity; and which, when fully and accurately 

 related, are not unfrequently discredited by individuals, who, 

 although fond of Natural History, seem inclined to believe 

 that anything in regard to animals must necessarily be false, 

 or at least the result of ignorance; unless it has been re- 

 corded in books which are considered as of authority on the 

 subject. But to return: having got fairly settled down in 

 my pebbly observatory, I turned my undivided attention to 

 the birds before me. They were boldly pushing at the fish 

 with their bills, and then with their breasts: their endeavours, 

 however, were in vain the object remained immoveable. On 

 this they both went round to the opposite side, and began 

 to scrape away the sand from close beneath the fish. After 

 removing a considerable quantity, they again came back to 

 the spot which they had left, and went once more to work 

 with their bills and breasts, but with as little apparent 

 success as formerly. Nothing daunted, however, they ran 



