Birds of America
By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.
VOLUME V.
Genus III.--STREPSILAS, Illiger. TURNSTONE.
Bill a little shorter than the head, rather stout, compressed, tapering,
straightish, being recurvate in a slight degree; upper mandible with the dorsal
line very slightly concave, the nasal groove extending to the middle, the sides
beyond it sloping, the tip depressed and blunted; lower mandible with the angle
short, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the sides convex, the
edges sharp, the tip depressed and blunted. Nostrils sub-basal, linear-oblong,
pervious. Head rather small, ovate; neck of ordinary length; body rather full.
Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare at the lower part, and covered
with reticulated scales; tarsus roundish, with numerous broad anterior scutella;
toes four, the first very small and elevated, anterior toes free to the base,
distinctly margined, the inner a little shorter than the outer. Claws rather
small, arched, compressed, blunted. Plumage full, soft, rather dense, and
glossy. Wings long, pointed, of moderate breadth, first quill longest, inner
secondaries elongated. Tail rather short, slightly rounded, of twelve
moderately broad feathers.