BIRDS OF NEW YORK 357 



This species can be regarded only as an accidental summer visitant on 

 our shores. It is a maritime species, inhabiting the coast of America from 

 Long Island and southern California to, Peru and Brazil. 



Family ARE!S[ A.KIID AE 



Turnstones 



Bill shorter than head, constricted at base, somewhat concave above 

 the nostrils, slightly bent up, and tapering from the middle to a rather 

 sharp point; nasal groove broad and shallow, similar to plover; legs rather 

 short and stout, scutellate in front; toes free, very narrowly margined, 

 the hallux large for this order, reaching the ground ; wings long and pointed ; 

 tail short, slightly rounded; plumage pied or somber. 



The tumstones are a family of three or four species, evidently related 

 to plovers and oyster catchers. Our single species and its European 

 representative are of holarctic distribution and perform extensive migra- 

 tions. Their commoii and scientific names refer to the habit of turning 

 over stones in search of insects for which occupation their bill is admirably 

 fitted. 



Arenaria interpres morinella (Linnaeus) 



(Arenaria morinella on plate) 



Ruddy Turnstone 



Plate 33 



Tringa interpres Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. lo. 1758. 1:148. (Part) 

 Strepsilas interpres DeKay. Zoo!. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 216, fig. 182 

 Arenaria interpres A. O. U. Check List. 1895. No. 283 



arena'ria, Lat., pertaining to sand; inter' pres, Lat., interpreter 



Description. Upper parts varied with chestnut or bright rufous, black 

 and white; top of head buffy white streaked with blackish, remainder of 

 head, neck and forebreast pied black and white, black predominating on the 

 chest and extending down the sides of breast; rest of under parts, lower 

 back, and longer tail coverts white; subterminal zone of the tail black; base 

 and narrow tip of tail white; primaries blackish, white toward the base of 

 middle web; inner secondaries white; greater coverts tipped with white; 

 bill black; feet orange-red. Female: Similar, but most of the rufous 

 replaced with grayish brown, the black less intense. Winter and young: 

 The chestnut wanting, and the black mostly replaced by brown and gray. 



Length 8.5-9.8 inches; extent 16-19.25; wing 5.5-6; tail 2.6; tarsus i; 

 middle toe and claw i-i.i; bill .S-.g. 



