282 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Phalaropus. 



Toes half webbed, lobed as in Grebes. Aquatic, frequent 

 sea-coasts and occasionally inland waters ; good swimmers ; 

 nest on ground; eggs 4. ? larger than (^ and latter 

 incubates. 



Phalaropus fulicarius (L.). Grey Phalarope. Fr. 

 Phalarope gris ; Ger. Plattschnabliger Wassertreter ; Ital. 

 Falaropo rosso ; Swed. Brednabbad Simsniippa. 



$ summer. Crown black ; upper parts black with buff 

 margins ; wing coverts grey, greater tipped white ; upper tail 

 coverts chestnut, streaked brown ; beneath vinous chestnut, 

 sides of head white, chin slaty. Bill strong and broad, dark 

 yellow, tipped dark brown. Legs and feet pale bluish green, 

 lobes mostly and inside of tarsus partly yellow. Wing 128-142. 

 Tarsus 21-24. I^iH 20-22. (^ duller, sides of head red brown, 

 crown streaked rufous. Wing 126-135. (^ $ winter: upper parts 

 blue grey, nape, hind neck and some feathers upper parts black ; 

 beneath white. 



Breeds. — Circumpolar ; Iceland, Spitzbergen, Nova Zembla, 

 and possibly Kolguev, and in N. Asia and Arctic America to 

 Greenland. Migrates ; occurs on passage and in winter in 

 Europe, seen chiefly on coasts or at sea as far as Liberia in 

 Eastern Atlantic ; frequent E. Asia, rare India ; also found W. 

 Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. 



The Spitzbergen breeding bird has been separated as " P. f. 

 jourdaini," on account of paler and narrower margins to feathers of 

 upper parts in summer ; further confirmation appears necessary. 



Phalaropus lobatus (L.). Red-necked Phalarope. Fr. 

 Phalarope cendre ; Ger. Schmalschnabliger Wassertreter ; Swed. 

 SmalnJibbad Simsnappa. 



$ summer. Upper parts and sides of breast blue slate, 

 streaked rufous on back ; collar chestnut ; underparts white. 

 Bill slender and narrow, black. Legs and feet grey blue. Wing 

 1 14- 1 19. Tarsus 22-24. PiU 21-23. $ Crown and upper parts 

 dark brown streaked chestnut. Wing 105-115. Tarsus 19-21. 

 ^ 9 winter : above grey with white tips, forehead and underparts 

 white. 



