118 CHARADKIID^E. 



sand without alighting; reserving for that purpose the little 

 banks of gravel or stones. When a number are seen together 

 in bold rapid flight, they present quite a brilliant spectacle, 

 from the silvery whiteness of the whole under plumage; and, 

 when making a sudden turn, even flash upon the sight. The 

 white marking upon the otherwise dark-coloured wing, too, has a 

 very handsome appearance. Their call is peculiar, and very pleas- 

 ing ; being loud, with the same note repeated hurriedly several 

 times. When thus in flocks, they are generally too wary to admit 

 of a sufficiently near approach to enable us to observe their 

 peculiar mode of feeding, whence their name is derived. But the 

 first of the species which Came under my observation, having been 

 a single bird, admitted of my close approach, and was so busily 

 occupied in turning over the pebbles on the beach of the Kinne- 

 gar, that by walking directly towards it on the exposed shore 

 (perhaps unobserved by the bird), I approached so near, three 

 times, as distinctly to perceive its mode of proceeding. Being a 

 juvenile sportsman, and not having essayed " the art of shooting 

 flying," I in each instance had the cruelty to fire at the poor bird, 

 which, however, seemed nothing the worse from the first or 

 second shot ;— at the third, it fell. 



Erom the labour of turning over the pebbles for its prey — the 

 Crustacea, &c. beneath — the turnstone, as may be supposed, moves 

 much more slowly over the beach than the other Grattatores ; 

 which have only to pick up what is exposed to view.*" 



This species is rarely met with in Belfast bay in winter,t spring, 

 or summer. It has been obtained in the first named season. On 

 the 27th March, 1838, a small flock was seen. On the 25th 

 May, 1825, a female bird which came into my possession was 

 shot, (on dissection fifteen ova, in size from a mere point to that 

 of a pea, were reckoned) ; and on the 7th June, 1833, 1 observed 

 a single bird on the shore of the Kinnegar. 



* Audubon, in the fourth volume of his Ornithological Biography, gives, from his 

 own observations, an extremely interesting account of its manner of turning over 

 various objects. 



f So early a9 Aug. 23, 1848, a bird in full winter plumage was shot here. About 

 a week previously, a kuot (Tringa canutus) in full summer plumage was obtained. 



