NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 243 



Family CHARADRIID.^. Genus Phalaropus. 



Sub-family TOTANINAL. 



GRAY PHALAROPE. 



PhaLxVROPUS fulicarius {Linnccus). 



(British : Rare nomadic autumn and winter migrant ; few in 

 spring.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, first half of June. 



Breeding area : Northern Nearctic and Palaearctic 

 regions. The Gray Phalarope is not known to breed 

 anywhere in continental Europe. It breeds locally on 

 the islands and coasts of Arctic Asia and America, 

 reaching at least as far north as lat. 82^°, and probably 

 extending as high as land exists. It also nests in Iceland 

 and Spitzbergen, on the Taimyr peninsula, in the delta 

 of the Lena, the Tchuski Land, Alaska, the Parry Islands, 

 Grinnell Land, and Greenland. 



Breeding habits : The Gray Phalarope is a nomadic 

 migrant, wintering as far north as it can with safety, 

 and returning to its breeding grounds late in May and 

 early in June. The pairing habits of the Phalaropes are 

 very abnormal, the females conducting the courtship, 

 and leaving the males to incubate the eggs ! The birds 

 pair annually shortly after arriving in their summer 

 quarters. This Phalarope is gregarious, winter and 

 summer alike, and breeds in colonies of varying size 

 dependent upon local conditions. The favourite breed- 

 ing haunts of the Gray Phalarope are the marshy pools 

 and lakes on the tundras at no great distance from the 

 Arctic Ocean. The nest is made upon the ground close 

 to the pools, and is merely a hollow in the moss or lichen, 

 sometimes lined with a few dry leaves, or bits of grass. 

 In their actions at the nests, when disturbed by man, 



