Birds by Land and Sea 



with a black neck-band, the white spot beneath 

 the eye, and the bright orange legs and feet, 

 readily catch the eye. The large proportion of 

 white on the wings, lower back, rump, and tail- 

 feathers, separated by equally pronounced tracts of 

 dark plumage, make of the turnstone, when seen 

 on the wing, a bird almost as strongly marked as 

 the oyster-catcher, and not a little like it in general 

 appearance. There is one habit, however, which 

 reduces doubt to a minimum in identifying this 

 bird it is a turnstone indeed, and may be watched 

 turning over the pebbles with its bill to search for 

 any small life lurking beneath them. Whilst ob- 

 serving them and their associates, it is impossible 

 to overcome a feeling of surprise at the small 

 influence a bird of one species exerts upon those of 

 other species, although habitually associating with 

 them. Here were ringed plovers, oyster-catchers, 

 and a dunlin, birds which for a large portion of 

 every year mix with turnstones in the everlasting 

 hunt for food upon the sea-shore. They see that 

 the turnstone lives by turning over pebbles ; they 

 must see what he finds beneath them ; and what 

 he finds is exactly that which they themselves are 

 seeking. Yet, it seems never to strike ringed 

 plover, oyster-catcher, or dunlin, that the turning 

 of stones might be profitable for themselves, or 

 might, at least, be worthy of a trial. 



The turnstone is a migrant with us, passing 

 northwards in May, and returning in autumn. It 



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