STREPSILIDiE — THE TURNSTONES — STREPSILAS. 
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bronzy green reflection, brightest on the upper parts; posterior lower parts, upper part of the 
rump, upper tail-coverts and ends of the greater coverts, pure white. Adult , in breeding-plumage : 
Anterior lower parts sooty-black, like the back ; lores covered by a large patch of white; a small 
postocular spot of the same; forehead and auriculars streaked or dashed with white; jugulum 
speckled and dashed with white, forming a wide band of these markings, more or less interrupted 
in the middle portion. Adult and young in winter : Anterior lower parts and head, smoky brown, 
much lighter than the back ; no trace of white markings about the head or jugulum. Young in 
first plumage : Similar to the winter dress, but breast, etc., more gray, each feather of the upper 
parts narrowly bordered terminally with light buff or whitish. 
Length, about 9 inches ; wing, 8.80-9.10 ; culmen, .85-1.00 ; tarsus, 1.00-1.10; middle toe, 
.90. 
This very distinct species averages considerably larger than S. interpres, while it differs radically 
in its coloration, the pattern of which is to a certain extent quite different, the dusky on the 
breast extending much farther back than in that species. The summer dress is in this bird much 
handsomer than the winter livery, while the reverse appears to be the case with the Common 
Turnstone. 
The Black-headed Turnstone is common along the Pacific coast of North America. 
A single specimen, exactly this bird, has been received from India. Dr. Cooper 
states that he has seen a few Turnstones, in black plumage, along the southern part 
of the California coast during the cooler months, and has found several on the 
Farallon Islands in June ; and they have also been obtained at Monterey and in 
Puget Sound in August, so that there seems to be no change in their colors with 
the season. Still Dr. Cooper was inclined to regard these as only immature speci- 
mens of S. interpres, interrupted, from some cause, in their full development. He 
was unable to find their eggs, and suspected them of barrenness. Their habits, so 
far as he was able to observe, seemed similar to those of S. interpres. They frequent 
rocky shores, and are fond of perching on logs, wrecks, etc., where they find small 
Crustacea, barnacles, etc., on which they chiefly feed. This bird is said to fly very 
swiftly, and as it moves, to utter a shrill whistle, which is its only note. It is also 
described as being very shy, and associating only in small parties. 
At Michaelofsky, Alaska, on the shores of Norton Sound, Mr. E. Adams (Ibis, 1878) 
met with what was probably this species. A few Turnstones made their appearance, 
in pairs, on the 31st of May. They frequented the salt-marshes, where he often 
found them sitting upon logs of driftwood which overhung the water. They fed 
about the mud, on insects, worms, etc. ; but he did not see them near the sea-shore, 
nor in company with any other species. 
