TURNSTONE. 153 



The colouring of its feathers differs so much in different 

 stages, that we need not be surprised that some ornithologists 

 have mistaken them for different species. The adult birds 

 (male and female) resemble each other perfectly, and are not 

 to be distinguished from one another. 



The feathering of the head is pure white in the spring of 

 the year; from the forehead extends a velvet black streak 

 over the eyelid, which lowers itself close to the eye, and 

 unites directly below the eye with another that originates at 

 the base of the lower mandible, and encircling the throat, ex- 

 tends backwards below the cheeks without reaching the neck ; 

 from the throat below this, extends around the neck to the 

 back a very elegant sweep, forming a full black collar that 

 descends over the entire front and sides of the upper part of 

 the breast. 



On each side of the nape is also a small black patch, 

 and the top of the head is ornamented with black shafts to 

 the feathers. The upper part of the back is black, inter- 

 mixed with rust-coloured feathering, forming irregular rows ; 

 the upper shoulder-feathers are bright rust-colour, with black 

 shafts, some below them are black, with rust-coloured, yellow 

 and white edges, the rust-colour extends over most of the 

 wing-coverts and tertials ; the lesser wing-coverts are dusky, 

 with pale edges, the larger broadly tipped with white ; the 

 back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and all the under parts, are 

 pure white ; the two middle tail-feathers are dusky, the rest 

 dusky, excepting the outer feather and the tips, which are 

 white ; quills dusky, with white shafts at their base. The 

 beak is black, the eyes dark brown, and the legs bright 

 orange red. 



The young birds of the year have the entire plumage of 

 the upper part of the body dusky, as well as the front of the 

 throat ; the back feathers are edged with pale yellow, and 



