The Oologist. 



Vol. XXXI. No. 4. 



Albion, N. Y. April, 15, 1S14. 



WBQOE0 NO. »2i 



Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, A Ibion, N. Y., and Lacon, III. 



Arenaria interpres. 

 Turnstone, 

 also called "Brant-Bird," "Beat-Bird," 

 "Horse-foot Snipe," and from its 

 variegated colors, "Calico-back." This 

 splendid looking bird derives its name 

 "Turnstone" by turning over with its 

 stout bill, well adapted for this work, 

 small stones and shells to find crust- 

 aceans and worms for subsistance. It 

 possesses a strong body, the head is 

 comparatively large, the bill shorter 

 than the 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; 

 wings long and pointed; plumage pied 

 or somber. 



In the latter part of May small 

 flocks congregate on the edge of Buf- 

 falo Creek near Clinton Street and at 

 Cazenovia Creek near the Glue Fac- 

 tory, when the Spotted Sandpiper is 

 near its nest. 



At this time it has beautiful bright 

 colors as can be seen on the Photo. 

 It is now on the migration to the far off 

 northern countries. It breeds through- 

 out the northern sections of both con- 

 tinents and wanders southward along 

 the seacoasts of both countries. 



In America it breeds commonly in 

 the Barren Lands of the Arctic Coast 

 to the Anderson River Districts, on 

 the Islands of Franklin and Liverpool 

 Bays, nesting in June and July. In the 

 Hudson's Bay country the eggs are 

 laid in June. I have an interesting set 



of 4 eggs taken May 26, 1896 at Tor- 

 nea, Lapland. They are very large for 

 the size of the bird, and their color 

 is greenish-drab, spotted all over with 

 brown, size 1.60 x 1.17. 



Beautiful plumage, lineliness and 

 easy movements distinguish the Turn- 

 stone from other plovers. He is hard- 

 ly ever seen to be quiet, except at 

 noontime for a few minutes, standing 

 still on one place. During the rest of 

 the time the Turnstone is in constant 

 motion from morn to sundown. Dur- 

 ing flight he is equally restless. 



In the early part of September they 

 migrate to the southern climate and 

 finally winter in the Gulf States and 

 South America. At this time they have 

 changed their bright colors to a dark- 

 grayish color. Of this kind I have a 

 specimen which I shot on the stone 

 pier near the Starchworks below 

 Blackrock a great many years ago on 

 Election-day. 



This is one of the most interesting 

 birds and a great many of our gun- 

 ners have undoubtedly shot them with- 

 out knowledge what a rare specimen 

 it is for the Naturalist. 



Mounted specimens in Spring and 

 Fall plumage and a fine set of 4 eggs 

 can be seen in my collection. 



Ottomar Reinecke. 



Junco-h-Carolinensis. 

 (Carolina Junco.) 

 Most oologists associate a Junco's 

 nest with the ground, and so did I until 

 the summer of 1913. A long protract- 

 ed return attack of my tropical fever 



