STEEPSILAS INTEEPRES. 903 



young and old birds at Ras Belul in September, and observed the species on the east coast of the continent as 

 far south as Zela and Berbera. Vierthaler also met with it on the White Nile. It extends southwards along 

 the whole coast to Mozambique and Zambesi ; and at the Cape is resident, Layard believing that it breeds 

 there. Up the south-west coast it is not uncommon, and has been observed at various places northward to 

 the Gold Coast. Between this and Morocco it does not seem to have been met with. In the Canaries, the 

 Azores, and Madeira it is not uncommon ; and Mr. DuCane Godman believes that it breeds in Flores and 

 probably in the Canaries, in which latter islands Dr. Bolle says it is a constant resident, he being also of 

 opinion that it must breed in some of the group. 



As regards the range of the Turnstone in the New World, Mr. Dresser writes : — " On the American 

 continent the distribution of this species is almost equally wide, as it is found from the Hudson's-Bay Territory 

 down to the southern portion of South America. Capt. Blakiston states ('Ibis/ 1863, p. 130) that he received 

 several specimens from York Factory, where he observed it in August; and in the 'Fauna Bor.-Am.' Mr. Ross 

 gives it as a rare bird on the Mackenzie. On the east coast of North America I observed it on the shores of 

 the Bay of Fundy, where, however, it is rare. It is met with during the seasons of migration, or in the 

 winter, on the shores of eastern North America in tolerable numbers. Mr. Elliott Coues says that in North 

 Carolina it is very common during migration, and some winter there/' Mr. Dresser himself met with it in 

 Texas, procuring it in June at Galveston. He further adds : — " On the west coast it was met with by Messrs. 

 Dall and Bannister in Alaska, where, Mr. Dall says, it was not common at the mouth of the Yukon ; and, 

 according to Dr. Finsch, it was obtained in Amachnak, near Unalaschka, at the end of August, by Von Kittlitz. 

 Southward it is met with as far as Chili." In the latter it was obtained by the ' Novara ' expedition ; and 

 Dumon procured it in Peru, as well as in the Galapagos Islands. Mr. Salvin states that it inhabits both 

 coasts of Guatemala ; and Mr. Lawrence says that it was obtained in Mexico on the Rio Zaeatula. In the 

 Bahamas it has been met with in April, and it has also occurred in Bermuda. Gosse observed it in Jamaica ; 

 and in Cuba it is stated by Dr. Gundlach to be common from September till May. In the island of St. Croix 

 Professor Newton met with it in April, and Mr. E. Newton in September. 



Habits. — As will be gathered from its distribution above sketched, this interesting bird is purely a littoral 



species, rarely being found away from the sea-shore, except during the course of its migration. It freqxients 



the sandy shores of the vast area of the globe just referred to, and subsists on small sand-worms, sand-flies, 



and other marine insects and their larvae, as well as tiny crustaceans and minute shells, which it swallows 



whole, and which it is said in a great measure to find beneath pebbles, stones, large shells, pieces of seaweed, 



dead fish, or any other substance lying on the beach, and turned over by it with its upcurved bill. In Ceylon 



I have found it on the pebbly saud flats on the north-west coast, about the beaches of the islands, and sometimes 



at the edge of the ooze just after the ebb of the tide, or, again, on the margins of shingly lagoons near the 



shore in the south-eastern district. It is frequently noticed singly or in small parties of three or four, as well 



as in considerable flocks, which feed in scattered company, and consort with the Mongolian Sand-Plover, the 



Curlew- and the Little Stint. It is a very elegant bird in its actions and deportment, running swiftly, then 



suddenly stopping and peering down among the pebbles, its small head and well-proportioned frame forming 



a graceful outline against the foaming tide. It cannot be called a very shy bird, though it will not permit a 



very near approach, generally rising when one is within 50 or 60 yards of it. Its flight is swift and strong ; 



its long-pointed wings are beaten rapidly, and then often extended for an instant, when it will glide along for 



some little distance and then resume its course, flying generally low. It has been recently proved that it swims 



about a good deal. Mr. Hume writes of it in the Laccadives as frequently swimming outside the breakers 



surrounding the reefs there. He remarks that " they rose out of the water with the greatest ease, took short 



flights, and dropped down again into the sea, in which they appear to be perfectly at home." It likewise 



perches on elevated objects, thus showing its affinity to the Saudpipers. Swinhoe writes that in Hainan " they 



sat on the fishing-stakes, and ranged themselves in rows on the ropes that ran from stake to stake." In the 



Andamans also Mr. Davison observed them sitting on the gunwhales of "boats, in company with the Common 



Sandpiper." I have never observed them turning over stones in search of food, but have only noticed them 



picking it up in the ordinary way. Audubon, however, has seeu them turning over oysters and clods of mud, 



and relates that "whenever the object was not too large the bird bent its legs to half their length, placed its bill 



