460 BIEDS — H^MATOPODIDJS. 



inner and middle toes, and only a, slight one between middle and outer. Length, about 

 7 inches ; wing, 4i ; tail 2. 



Habitat, United States and British Provinces, east of the Eooky Mountains. Abun- 

 dant along the Atlantic coast of the United States, breeding north to the St. Lawrence, 

 and wintering from the Carolinas southward. Cuba. Bahamas. Jamaica. 



Rather common spring and fall migrant, and in part summer resident 

 on Lake Erie, not common migrant in the interior of the State. 

 This little bird was probably first recorded as occurring inland by Dr. 

 Kirtland, above cited. Mr. Winslow informs me that he has found them 

 on the lake shore, where their actions indicated the immediate pre- 

 sence of the nest or very young birds, but he was unable to discover 

 either. They have been found breeding on Lake Michigan, within the 

 State of Illinois, by Mr. Nelson and others. 



Mr. Ridgway describes as a geographical race of this species, var. 

 circumcinctus, from the Missouri region. To this variety Mr. Nelson refers 

 the birds taken by him in Illinois, and doubtless Ohio birds are the same. 

 But specimens of circumcinctus have been taken in various localities on 

 the Atlantic coast, and doubtless, as held by Mr. Brewster, the variety is 

 untenable. 



The eggs of the Piping Plover, are clay-colored, sparsely but uniformly 

 dotted and speckled with blackish-brown. They measure 1.25 by 1. 



FAMILY H^MATOPODID^. TURNSTONES, ETC. 



Legs moderate, stout. Tarsus shorter than tail. Bill hard, more or less contracted 

 at base, with short nasal fossie, gonydeal angle, and ascending gonys, the tip either 

 compressed and truncate, or depressed and acute. Feet three-toed and with basal web- 

 bing (Hcsmatopus), or four-toed and cleft {Strepsilas). 



Gbnus STEEPSILAS. LinuEBua. 



Bill sharp pointed not longer than the tarsus, which is scutellate in front ; four-toed 

 with no obvious webbing ; hind toe lengthened. 



Sa?EEPSIL4S INTEEPSES (L.) 111. 



Turnstone. 

 Strejpsilas interpres, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 165, 184. — Wheaton, Ohio Agria. 

 Kep. for 1860, 363, 377 ; Reprint, 1861, 10, 19 ; Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Kep 

 for 1874, 572; Reprint, 1875, 12.— CouES, Birds of N. W., 1874, 459.— Langdon, He- 

 vised List, Joum. Gin. Soo. Nat. Hist., i, 1870, 184 ; Reprint, 16. 



Tringa itiierpres, hmmJEVB, Fn. Suec, 63. 

 Strejasilaa interpres, Illigbr, Prod., 1811, 263. 



Adult in summer pied above with black, white, brown and chestnut red, the latter 

 color wanting in winter and in young birds ; below from the breast (which is more or 

 less completely black) throat, most of the secondaries, bases of the primaries, and bases 



