628 
THE STORY OF THE BIRDS. 
white at the base, and elsewhere brownish black; the chin white; the throat 
pale buff, bordered by a black line ascending to the eye; the breast brown¬ 
ish buff; the under parts and thighs huffish white, and the under wing- 
coverts chestnut. These birds do not make any nest, but lay their two or 
three eggs on the bare ground, in most cases without even taking the 
trouble of scratching a hollow for their reception. The eggs are nearly 
oval, and extremely fragile; their ground-color varying from yellow to slaty 
gray, upon which are numerous streaks and blotches of dark blackish 
brown. Like many other members of the order, pratincoles endeavor to 
draw intruders away from their nests by simulating lameness or some other 
hi jury. 
Turn-stone —The turn-stone bears a strong resemblance to the plover, but 
is classed with the snipes. They are three species, all of which breed in the 
Arctic regions and migrate south in winter. The plumage of the common 
turn-stone is mottled, black, white and chestnut, with a pure white chin and 
throat. The total length of this bird is nine and a half inches. It takes its 
name from its habit of overturning pebbles and other stones with its beak 
for the purpose of obtaining food. Although generally running along the 
shore, and taking short flights when disturbed, it is not destitute of the power 
of swimming; and its cry is a clear loud whistle. The nest is but a poor affair, 
consisting of a sparsely lined hollow in the sand; and the four spotted eggs 
differ in color from those of the plovers, and resemble those of the sandpipers 
and snipe. 
Stilt—The stilt, or stilt plover, gets its name from its extremely long and 
slender legs. The European stilt has a perfectly white head and neck. The 
upper parts and wings are black, the back is glossed with green, the upper 
tail-coverts and tail are pearly gray; the rest of the plumage pure white; the 
beak, black; the legs and feet, crimson. Stilts are essentially marsh-birds, 
although they always keep to open water, in which they may be seen stand¬ 
ing up to their knees on the lookout for insects, molluscs, tadpoles, etc.; 
their most favorite resorts being lagoons, where the water is brackish. They 
are generally found in small parties, and whether on land, in the water, or in 
the air, are remarkable for their graceful appearance. They walk with a 
deliberate step, which may be quickened into a run; and they fly straight but 
slowly, with the neck outstretched and the long legs extended beyond the 
tail. Ordinarily silent and far from shy, in the breeding-season these birds 
utter a cry resembling the syllables, “kit, kot, kit,” and are most assiduous 
in endeavoring to lure the intruder away from the vicinity of their nests. 
