482 The Water-fowl Family 



The breeding-place has not been discovered. It 

 has been taken in Alaska, at St. Michael, and 

 near Sitka, also at the mouth of the Columbia 

 River. Another name for this species is the 

 plover-billed turnstone. 



The natives of Kotzebue Sound and St. Michael, 

 Alaska, say that this bird breeds near small lakes 

 on the tundra, twenty to thirty miles back from 

 the coast. It is a shy and solitary bird, with much 

 the habits of the wandering tattler, inhabiting 

 rocky shores and small islands off the coast. 



TURNSTONE 

 (Arenaria interpres) 



Adult male and female — Chin and throat, a large spot on lores, ear- 

 coverts, back of neck and upper part of back on each side of 

 breast, white ; the crown marked with black streaks ; rest of 

 head, sides, and upper part of breast, black ; back and scapulars, 

 black, their centre marked with brown ; lesser wing-coverts, 

 brown ; greater coverts, black, broadly edged with white form- 

 ing a bar across the wing ; primaries, brown tipped with white ; 

 rump, white; tail, white with subterminal black band, tipped 

 with white ; under parts, pure white ; bill, black ; feet and legs, 

 vermilion ; iris, brown. 



The plumage differs greatly in brilliancy in different individu- 

 als, the variations being in the distinctness of the black markings 

 and the presence of rufous brown on the back. 



Winter plumage — Similar to the above, but the black feathers are 

 edged with white and the back less marked with brown. 



Young — Head, mottled gray; upper parts, dusky, the feathers 

 bordered with buff; jugulum and breast, mottled dusky; under 

 parts, pure white ; iris, brown ; legs and feet, reddish. 



Downy young — Upper parts, blackish gray, slightly washed with 

 yellowish, and some of the feathers tipped with black ; line on 



