TURNSTONE. 
303 
GRALLATORES. 
CHARADRIIDjE. 
TURNSTONE. 
Strepsilas interpres. 
PLATE LXXIX. 
I HAVE never heard of an instance of the Turnstone 
breeding upon the British Islands, although led to expect 
it from having at various times seen several of the birds 
upon the Northumberland coast, and also upon the Shet¬ 
land Islands during the months of summer; these are, 
however, usually in small flocks, and most probably yet 
immature. It was, therefore, with peculiar pleasure that 
we discovered its retreat upon the coast of Norway, 
during a bird-nesting excursion to that country, for the 
purpose of adding rarities to our collections. 
We had visited numerous islands with little encourage¬ 
ment, and were about to land upon a flat rock, bare ex¬ 
cept where here and there grew tufts of grass or stunted 
juniper clinging to its surface, when our attention was 
attracted by the singular cry of a Turnstone, which, in 
its eager watch, had seen our approach and had perched 
itself upon an eminence of the rock, assuring us, by its 
querulous oft-repeated note and anxious motions, that its 
nest was there. We remained in the boat a short time, 
until we had watched it behind a tuft of grass, near 
which, after a minute search, we succeeded in finding 
the nest: it was placed against a ledge of the rock, and 
