STREPSILID.E — THE TURNSTONES — STREPSILAS. 



121 



Deriving its name from its singular habit of turning over small stonee when search- 

 ing for food, in quest of the marine insects that lurk underneath them, it is as 

 I'cniarkabU' in its appearance as in its habits. The singular variety of its colors 

 and the beauty of its jjlumagc render it conspicuous, and cause it to be universally 

 noticed. 



Mr. F. Ducane Godnian mentions (Il)is. 18GG) meeting with this species in the 

 Azores. A few pairs could always be found inuong tlie rocks between Santa Cruz and 

 Tuuta Delgada, on Flores. He obtained several spct-imens in Juiie, in tlie full breeding- 

 l)luinage, and he had no doubt that tluiy were breeding on the small islands near the 

 coast, .as tliey remained there all the year. He afterward met with otlun-s in Fayal, 

 near Capellas, and has no doubt tliat this bird may be found on the coast of the 

 entire group in greater or less numbers. The same writer, in his paper on the 

 migratory birds of Madeira and the Canaries (Ibis, 1871), again expresses his belief 

 tliat the Turnstone lueeds in the Azores, and also on the Canary Islands, where it is 

 not uncommon near tlie coast. 



Dr. J. C. Merrill mentions the presence of this species during the months of May 

 and June along tlie coast of Southwestern Texas, and was confident that it Avas 

 breeding there — an opinion strongly corroborated by his procuring examples of 

 females with denuded breast, the almost sure evidence of their having been nesting 

 birds. 



Mr. Nelson also speaks of having found the Turnstone as a common migrant 

 along tlie shores of Lake Michigan, in which neighborhood it jirrives alwut the 15th 

 of May, coming in full bridal jdumage and remaining into June. It returns again in 

 .Vugust, still in the full breeding-plumage, which it loses about the last of that month, 

 it does not leave that neighborhood until about the 2()th of December. 



Mr. E. L. Layard, when off Cape St. Francis, Africa, but out of sight of land, 

 observed a flock of four that came oif to his vessel. Mr. E. C. Taylor (Ibi.s, 1878) 

 mentions the procuring by Jlr. Eillippoiii of three or four examples of this bird in 

 Egy])t. 



Mr. R. Swinhoe enumerates this species in his li.st of the birds of Formosa (Ibis, 

 18G3). It comes there in small flocks, and, associating with the Sanderling, departs 

 after a short stay. The same writer, in his paper on the Hirds of Hainan, mentions 

 tiiuling large flocks of these birds in the Poochin River on the 5th of March. They 

 sat on tlie Ashing stakes, or ranged themselves in rows on the ropes which ran from 

 one to the otlier. These birds were all just assuming their summer plumage. 



This species has been taken in Senegal, and specimens of it have also been ob- 

 tained at the (Jape of (iood Hope. Tenuninck includes it among tlie birds of Japan, 

 and mentions having received specimens of it from New Guinea, Sunda, and the 

 Moluccas. 



Dr. Middendorff gives it as among the birds of Siberia and Northern Russia, and 

 includes it among those which go to the extreme north. It is found thence through- 

 out Europe southward to Italy, Sicily, Malta, and Africa. Von I3aer met Avith it in 

 Nova Zembla. Professor A. Newton noticed its presence on Spitzbergen, and this 

 was afterward confirmed by Professor A. J. Malmgi-en (Ibis, 1869), who found a pair 

 on Amsterdam Island. Mr. C. A. Wright mentions it as an irregular and rare visitant 

 of Malta, appearing there in May, August, and September, and once in December. 

 Mr. H. Saunders notices it as appearing regidarly in Southern Spain in its migrations. 

 Wheelwright speaks of it as common in the south of Sweden, in the Baltic, and on 

 the Norwegian coast. It goes up far within the Polar Circle. He has found it 

 breeding, and as often sitting on three eggs as on four, 

 voi,. I. — 16. 



