52 
TURNSTONE. 
October, 1849; it was a young one. The following much 
more extraordinary occurrence is narrated by Mr. Edward, in 
the same magazine, pages 3077-8-9:— 
‘Passing along the sea-shore on the West of Banff, I 
observed on the sands, at a considerable distance before me, 
two birds beside a large-looking object. Knowing by their 
appearance that they did not belong to the species which 
are usually met with in this quarter, I left the beach, and 
proceeded along the adjoining links, an eminence of shingle 
intervening, until I concluded that I was about opposite to 
the spot where the objects of my search were employed. 
Stooping down with my gun upon my back, prepared for 
action, I managed to crawl through the bents and across the 
shingle for a considerable way, when I at length came in 
sight of two little workers, who were busily endeavouring to 
turn over a dead fish, which was fully six times their size. 
I immediately recognised them as Turnstones. Not wishing 
to disturb them, anxious at the same time to witness their 
operations, and observing that a few paces nearer them there 
was a deep hollow among the shingle, I contrived to creep 
into it unobserved. 
I was now distant from them but about ten yards; and 
had a distinct and unobserved view of all their movements. 
In these there was evinced that extraordinary degree of 
sagacity and perseverance, which comes under the notice only 
of those who watch the habits of the lower creation with 
patience and assiduity; and which, when fully and accurately 
related, are not unfrequently discredited by individuals, who, 
although fond of Natural History, seem inclined to believe 
that anything in regard to animals must necessarily be false, 
or at least the result of ignorance; unless it has been re¬ 
corded in books which are considered as of authority on the 
subject. But to return: having got fairly settled down in 
my pebbly observatory, I turned my undivided attention to 
the birds before me. They were boldly pushing at the fish 
with their bills, and then with their breasts: their endeavours, 
however, were in vain—the object remained immoveable. On 
this they both went round to the opposite side, and began 
to scrape away the sand from close beneath the fish. After 
removing a considerable quantity, they again came back to 
the spot which they had left, and went once more to work 
with their bills and breasts, but with as little apparent 
success as formerly. Nothing daunted, however, they ran 
