004 STEEPSILAS LNTERPRES. 



beneath it, and with a sudden quick jerk of the head pushed it off', when it quickly picked up the food which 

 was thus exposed to view, and walked deliberately to the nest shell to perform the same operation." The most 

 remarkable instance of the skill and instinct of the Turnstone that has yet been published is that of the scene 

 witnessed on the Banffshire coast by the Scotch naturalist, Thomas Edwards, whose life has lately been written 

 by Mr. Smiles. The first account appeared in the ' Banffshire Journal' of Dec. 31, 1850, and it afterwards 

 reappeared in the 'Zoologist ' for April 1851. Having noticed a pair of small shore-birds engaged with some 

 large object on the beach, Edwards, with his wonted enthusiasm, crept into a hollow in the shingle which was 

 close to the birds, and was thus enabled to minutely scrutinize their actions. I transcribe here a portion of 

 the interesting narrative of what he saw from the book in question ; and I doubt not that in the main parti- 

 culars it is a faithful account of what happened, as Audubon testifies to the birds using their breasts in pushing 

 over heavy objects : — 



" Having got fairly settled down in my pebbly observatory, I turned my undivided attention to the birds 

 before me. They were boldly pushing at the fish with their bills, and then with their breasts. Their endea- 

 vours, however, were in vain : the object remained immovable. On this they both went round to the opposite 

 side, and began to scrape away the sand from beneath the fish. After removing a considerable quantity, they 

 again came back to the spot which they had left, and went once more to work with their bills and breasts, but 

 with as little apparent success as formerly. Nothing daunted, however, they ran round a second time to the 

 other side, and recommenced their trenching operations with a seeming determination not to be baffled in 

 their object, which evidently was to undermine the dead animal before them, in order that it might be the 

 more easily overturned. 



"While they were thus employed, and after they had laboured in this manner at both sides alternately 

 for nearly half an hour, they were joined by another of their own species, which came flying with rapidity from 

 the neighbouring rocks. Its timely arrival was hailed with evident signs of joy. I was led to this conclusion 

 from the gestures which they exhibited, and from a low but pleasant murmuring noise to which they gave 

 utterance so soon as the new-comer made his appearance. Of their feelings he seemed to be perfectly aware, 

 and he made his reply to them in a similar strain. Their mutual congratulations being over they all three 

 set to work, and after labouring vigorously for a few minutes in removing the sand, they came round to the 

 other side, and, putting their breasts simultaneously to the fish, they succeeded in raising it some inches from 

 the sand, but were unable to turn it over. It went again into its sandy bed, to the manifest disappointment 

 of the three. Resting, however, for a space, and without leaving their respective positions, which were a little 

 apart the one from the other, they resolved, it appears, to give the work another trial. Lowering themselves, 

 with their breasts close to the sand, they managed to push their bills underneath the fish, which they made 

 to rise about the same height as before. Afterwards withdrawing their bills, but without losing the advantage 

 which they had gained, they applied their breasts to the object. This they did with such force and to such 

 purpose that at length it went over, and rolled several yards down a slight declivity. It was followed to some 

 distance by the birds themselves before they could recover their bearing. 



" They returned eagerly to the spot from whence they had dislodged the obstacle which had so long 

 opposed them ; and they gave unmistakable proof, by their rapid and continued movements, that they were 

 enjoying an ample repast as the reward of their industrious and praiseworthy labour. I was so pleased and 

 even delighted with the sagacity and perseverance which they had shown, that I should have considered 

 myself as guilty of a crime had I endeavoured to take away the lives of these interesting beings at the very 

 moment when they were exercising, in a manner so happily for themselves, the wonderful instincts implanted 

 in them by their Creator. When they appeared to have done and to be satisfied I arose from my place of 

 concealment. On examining the fish I found it to be a specimen of the common cod. It was nearly three 

 feet and a half long, and it had been imbedded in the sand to the depth of about two inches." 



The note of the Turnstone resembles somewhat that of some Sand-Plovers, and is a lively-sounding 

 kcet-e-krek, keet-e-lrek, twice repeated. 



Nidification. — The Turnstone breeds in June, resorting to islands or lonely spots on the shores of the 

 mainland in northern latitudes where the soil is sandy and interspersed with hushes, small shrubs, or broad- 

 leaved plants scattered about, under which it often makes its nest. This is said to be a depression in the soil 



