281 
TURNSTONE. 
Strepsilas Interpres, Linn . 
PLATE CCCXXIII. — Adult in Summed and "Winteb. 
This bird, which, in its full vernal dress, is one of the most beautiful of its 
family, is found along the southern coast of the United States during win- 
ter, from North Carolina to the mouth of the Sabine river, in considerable 
numbers, although perhaps as many travel at that season into Texas and 
Mexico, where I observed it on its journey eastward, from the beginning of 
April to the end of May, 1831. I procured many specimens in the course 
of my rambles along the shore^of the Florida Keys, and in the neighbour- 
hood of St. Augustine, and have met with it in May and June, as well as in 
September and October, in almost every part of our maritime shores, from 
Maine to Maryland. On the coast of Labrador I looked for it in vain, 
although Dr. Richardson mentions their arrival at their breeding quarters 
on the shores of Hudson’s Bay and the Arctic Sea up to the seventy-fifth 
parallel. 
In spring the Turnstone is rarely met with in flocks exceeding five or six 
individuals, but often associates with other species, such as the Knot, the 
Red-backed Sandpiper, and the Tringa subarquata. Towards the end of 
autumn, however, they collect into large flocks, and so continue during the 
winter. I have never seen it on the margins of rivers or lakes, but always 
on the shores of the sea, although it prefers those of the extensive inlets so 
numerous on our coasts. At times it rambles to considerable distances from 
the beach, for I have found it on rocky islands thirty miles from the main- 
land ; and on two occasions, whilst crossing the Atlantic, I saw several flocks 
near the Great Banks flying swiftly, and rather close to the water around the 
ships, after which they shot off toward the south-west, and in a few minutes 
were out of sight. It seems to be a hardy bird, for some of them remain in 
our Eastern Districts until severe frost prevails. Having seen some, in the 
beginning of June, and in superb plumage, on the high grounds of the Island 
of Grand Mannan, in the Bay of Fundy, I supposed that they bred there, 
although none of my party succeeded in discovering their nests. Indeed 
the young, as I have been informed, are obtained there, and along the 
coast of Maine, in the latter part of July. 
