HYPERBOREAN PHALAROPE. 243 



which may occur. They squat on the ground like Snipes ; 

 breed on the borders of small ponds, and lay only about 

 2 eggs. 



It is remarkable enough, that all these flocks consisted of 

 birds of both sexes assembling to breed, and in imperfect 

 plumage. In none were the sides and front of the neck 

 wholly red. They had a broad patch of red below the ears, 

 not extending in front, and the blackish-grey feathers of 

 the back and scapulars were edged, in the latter, nearly 

 round with pale dull rufous. The females were pahr in all 

 parts, the scapulars merely edged with whitish-rufous. The 

 brightest of these birds answers to Temminck's description 

 of the female of the species. While Bonaparte asserts that 

 the females are always much brighter, or redder than the 

 males in their most complete plumage. We have, there- 

 fore, the following distinct stages of appearance in this 

 species. The young of the year : — the young of the second 

 year, differing in the appearance of the sexes. The adults 

 of both sexes (probably not then wholly alike) ,• and finally, 

 the grey livery of lointer, distributed according to the varia- 

 tions in the preceding plumage. We shall then have, at 

 this rate, 6 or 7 different states of plumage, to this single 

 species of Phalarope ! 



The Hyperborean Phalarope is about from 7^ to 8 inches long. 

 Length of the bill from the rictus 1 inch ; of the tarsus 10^ lines. Alar 

 stretch 12^ inches : naked space upon the tibia ^ an inch. Summer 

 'plumage of the adult : Sides and front of the neck bright brownish- 

 orange ; medial stripe on the latter, the sides of the breast, front, 

 top, and sides of the head, nape, and fore part of the back, blackish- 

 grey. The rest of the ^lpJ)er plumage brownish-black, the scapulars, 

 interscapulars, and feathers on the sides of the back, striped exte- 

 riorly with yellowish-rufous, the centre of the back having a con- 

 verging angular space destitute of spots. Tail and wings brownish- 

 black ; tertiaries pale ash, below and a stripe on the outer web white. 

 Wing coyerts brownish-black, tipped with white ; the lower ones very 



