Fig. 1.—Croton and Fimbristylis on stabilized dunes; the Laguna Madre and surrounding alkaline flats and clay dunes are visible in the background. Habitat of Road-runner, Ord kangaroo rat, and keeled lizard.
Fig. 2.—Active dune near Camp 1. Other active dunes can be seen in the background, in the right foreground is a clump of Croton, and in the left foreground is a small clump of Fimbristylis. Habitat of Road-runner, Ord kangaroo rat, and keeled lizard.
Arenaria interpres morinella (Linnaeus): Turnstone.—Approximately 40 individuals were noted along the beach from July 6 to 10, mostly in small groups; the largest flock included 15 individuals. Specimens (5): ♂, 38931, testis 4 × 1 mm., moderately fat, 107 gm., 4 P old; ♂, 38932, testis 3 × 1 mm., moderately fat, 103 gm., molting; 75 miles south of Washington Beach, July 8. Male, 38928, testis 2 mm., 111 gm., 3 P old; ♂, 38929, testis 3 mm., moderately fat, 106 gm., 6 P old; ♂, 38930, testis 2.5 mm., moderately fat, 108 gm., 6 P old; Camp 2, July 9.
The only previous record of the Turnstone in Tamaulipas is an observation of an unspecified number at Tepehuaje on May 9, 1949 (Robins, Martin, and Heed, 1951). The dates of our records suggest that nonbreeding birds summer along the coast of Tamaulipas. The species is present in small numbers in summer along the central Gulf coast of Texas (Hagar and Packard, 1952:8). Loetscher (1955:26-27) does not report records for Veracruz in summer, but records of the species in Yucatán on May 31, 1952 (Paynter, 1955:101), and on June 16, 1900 (Mexican Check-list, 1950:79), probably represent summering nonbreeders. Probably also in the same class are supposed "migrants" seen at Coatzacoalcos on May 17, 1954, and June 4, 1955 (Coffey, 1960:290).
Inasmuch as Haverschmidt (1955:368) reports that nonbreeding birds summering in Surinam only occasionally assume breeding plumage, it is noteworthy that our specimens were molting from nuptial (summer) to winter plumage. None of the nonbreeding northern shorebirds observed by Eisenmann (1951:183) in Panamá in summer were in nuptial plumage.