EASTERN TURNSTONE. 
Captain S. A. White writes that he has observed and collected specimens 
of this bird on the north coast of Queensland, but never saw them in southern 
parts of Australia. Some of the specimens collected by him were strongly 
marked with black, but the majority were in winter-plumage. 
Mr. J. W. Mellor says he collected specimens on the Capricorn group of 
Islands, Queensland, in October, 1910. He records it as not plentiful, being 
seen in twos and threes, and mixing with other species of waders. He also 
saw these birds at Stansbury on Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, on 
April 17th, 1911, on the salt-flats when the tide was low. 
Writing of this bird on Bering Island, Stejneger* says : “ It makes its 
appearance early in May (in 1883 the first ones were observed on the 7th), 
and the beach, especially on the north shore of Bering Island, fairly swarms 
with them. In June they disappear, and only a few remain during the summer. 
These, I suppose, do breed, although I did not succeed in finding any of their 
nests. However, as early as the latter part of July, even larger flocks than 
those seen in spring, return from the north. From this time and until late in 
autumn, enormous masses of them may be seen on the killing grounds, near 
the seal rookeries, where thousands of putrified carcasses of the slain fur- 
seals swarm with myriads of the white larvae of the flesh-fly, upon which 
the pretty Turn-stones feed and grow exceedingly fat. At sunset they retire 
to the beach, where they pass the night, not, however, without having 
performed a soldier-like drill by flying up and down the endless tundra, 
now in full body, now again in detached divisions, and with admirable 
precision turning and maneuvering as if obeying the command of a 
leading officer.” 
Swinhoe {Ihis 1870, p. 361) : “ We found large numbers of these in the 
Poochin river (N.W. Hainan) on the 5th of March. They sat on the fishing 
stakes, and ranged themselves in rows on the ropes that run froni stake to 
stake. The four specimens I brought away were all acquiring the summer 
plumage.” 
Seebohm {Ihis 1888, p. 348) records it on Great Liakofl Island, east of 
the Lena Delta, on June 16th, and on the 27th a nest with four somewhat 
incubated eggs was found, and on the 13th of August a fuUy fledged young 
bird was seen. 
Middendorfl {Sibirische Beise, p. 213, 1851) writes that it arrives on the 
Taimyr River, Russia, on June 4th, and was breeding by July 10th, the young 
being fledged by the 24th ; by August 10th they had all departed. He also 
found it as early as the 25th May, and a few pairs were breeding up to 
the end of June on the Boganida. On the Greater Schantar Island he 
* Bull. V.S. Nat. Mus., No. 29, p. 103, 1885. 
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