TURNSTONE. 
367 
patch on hind neck, black. Remainder of upper parts, mottled with black, chestnut-red, and white. Secondaries, white, 
with an elongated spot ofbrown on terminal portion. Primaries, brown, with base of all and tips of inner, white. 
Young. Similar to the adult but the black markings are not as distinct, nor is there much red above. Bill, black, 
iris, brown, and feet, red, in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Readily known by the peculiar black markings on the head and breast. Distributed in summer, throughout Ai :tic 
America; wintering from the Carolinas, southward. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from Eastern America. Length. 9'25; stretch, 18-00; wing, 5'40; tail, 2-60; bill, 
•95; tarsus, 1'02. Longest specimen, 9 - 50; greatest extent of wing, 19’50; longest wing, 6'05; tail, 2 75; bill, POO; tarsus, 
P15. Shortest specimen, 9 - 00; smallest extent of wing, 18*50; shortest wing, 5 - 75; tail, 2*50; bill, - 90; tarsus, -90. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Eggs, placed on the ground in a depression of the soil, on a little grass. They are from two to four in number, rather 
pyriform in shape, greenish-ash in color, spotted and blotched irregularly and thickly with yellowish-brown, and scatter- 
ingly with dots of umber. Dimensions from 1*17x1*56 to P20 x 1 65. 
HABITS. 
The Turnstones are easily recognized by their conspicuous colors, especially by the 
white rump with its black spot; in fact, they appear so completely mottled with black, 
'white, and red, that in some sections, they are called Calico Birds. They arrive from the 
North early in August and while in Massachusetts, during autumn, spend the greater por¬ 
tion of their time on rocks which have been left exposed by the tide, searching for small 
marine animals. They will, however, occasionally alight on the marshes, in order to catch 
grasshoppers, on which they sometimes feed. In the North, where they are hunted con¬ 
tinually, like all shore birds, they become very shy but in the South, where larger game is 
abundant, they are seldom disturbed and, consequently, are quite unsuspicious, being so 
tame, in fact, that I have frequently walked within a few yards of them without causing 
them to take w T ing. In this section, they resort to the pebbly sea beaches, along which 
they run nimbly, occasionally pausing to turn over the smaller stones or shells, that they 
may find the insects which lurk beneath them, and it is this habit which has given them 
the name of Turnstone. 
These birds do not appear to be very common anywhere and in all my experience on 
the coast between the two great gulfs, I do not remember having seen over twenty together 
at one time, and this number is rare; indeed, I should consider a flock consisting of ten or a 
dozen specimens, quite large for this species. I saw a few scattering Turnstones flying 
about the oyster bars at Smithville, North Carolina, during the last week in November, 
and from this point to Key West, they are found during winter but are never very abun¬ 
dant in the South. They return North in May but when migrating to their breeding 
grounds, they pass quite rapidly. The note of the Turnstone, consists of an abrupt, clear 
whistle, usually given just as the birds rise or is occasionally uttered as thej fly. 
FAMILY III. RECURVIROSTRIDiE. THE STILTS. 
Bill, much longer than the head, more or less curved upward, flattened and hard through¬ 
out. Hind toe, absent or very small. Keel, about equal in height to the width of the ster¬ 
num. Marginal indentations, four. Legs, exceedingly long. 
