II 



88 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. [TcZ.V. 



impossible to get witliin gun-sliot range of the flocks; when on the wing,C 

 hovi^ever, they loose their shyness, and are then easily captured. 



^GiALiTis vociFERA, (Linn.) Cass. — Eildeer Plover. ' 



This bird, the most restless of all the Plover family, arrives April 13, 

 and remains until about the 1st of September, and is found in large^ 

 numbers around all the lakes, and to some extent in cultivated upland," 

 which it seems to like for nesting purposes. 



^GiALiTis SEMIPALMATA, (Bp.) Cab. — ISemipalmated Plover. 



I believe this Plover only occasionally passes this region dming th 

 spring migrations. On May 11, 1877, while out collecting, a flock con 

 taining thirty-five or forty birds passed high overhead, from which 

 single specimen was secured. I have never met with it in the fall. 



The specimen measures as follows : 



No, 690, 14.50 X 7.10; wiug 4.60; tail 2.15. 



H^MATOPID^. '^ 



Strepsilas interpres, (L.) hi. — Ttirnstone. 



Sexes are alike in color. 



Adult in summer pied above witli black, Avhite, broTvn, and chestnut-red, tlie lattei]^ 

 color wanting in winter and in young birds; below, from the breast (whicli is more 

 or less comiiletely black), tki'oat, most of the inner quills, bases and shafts of outer 

 quills, and bases and tips of tail-feathers white ; bill black; feet orange: 8-9; wing 

 5^G; tail 2^; bill -g-, almost recurved, sharp-pointed: legs bare but a little way: no 

 obvious basal Avebbing of toes. 



I beheve that the Turnstone will be found to occur throughout many 

 parts of Dakota during the spring migration. Careful search should b^ 

 made for the bird at this time, and its occurrence reported. It will be 

 found usually along the beach turning over stones in search of its food, 

 from which curious habit it derives its name. 



The Turnstone regularly passes this region during May of each year, 

 I have observed it for the last three years on several occasions, and -the 

 bird was always quite shy, and I found considerable difficulty in taking 

 specimens. As I have observed it here, the Turnstone is not a grega^ 

 rious bird, as I have never seen more than three or four together. This 

 record constitutes the only Dakota notice of this bird, so far as I am, 

 aware. 



The specimens measure as follows : 



No. 649, $, 17.00 X 9.00; tarsus 1.00. 



No. 693, 5 , 18.50 x 9.40; wing 5.90; tail 2.70; tars. 0.94; m. t. & claw 1.12; bill 0.93. 



EECUEVIROSTRID^. 

 Recurvirostra AMERICANA, Gm. — Avocet. 



Sexes are alike in color. 



White; back and wings with much black; head and neck cinnamon-brown in the 

 adult, ashy in the young; bill black: legs blue; eyes red: 16-18 long; wing 7-8) 

 tail 3^; legs very long. Bill recurved. 



Arrives at tlie beginning of May, and breeds sparingly in this vicinityi 



