286 PHALAROPUS LOBATUS. 



wing from flexure 5 ; tail 2-fV; tarsus \^ : middle toe 9 and 

 a half-twelfth, its claw -fj. 



Female in Winter. — The female is said to he similar 

 to the male ; but I have not examined a specimen known 

 to be such. 



Male in Summer. — At this season the bird has a very 

 different appearance, it having undergone a change of 

 plumage, and assumed a red colour. As it does not occur 

 with us in summer, I have taken my description from an 

 arctic specimen. The bill is yellow, with the point dusky : 

 the feet greyish-blue. The upper part of the head is black ; 

 the fore part of the back, the scapulars, and inner secon- 

 daries black, margined with light red; the wing-coverts 

 greyish-black, tipped with white ; the quills greyish-black. 

 The basal part of the outer web of the primaries, and the 

 tops of the primary and secondary coverts, being white, a 

 band of that colour is conspicuous on the extended wing. 

 The upper tail-coverts are partly dusky brown, partly light 

 red ; the rump white, with dusky streaks ; the tail deep 

 grey, dusky toward the end. The forehead is dusky ash- 

 grey ; the sides of the head white ; the fore-neck, breast, 

 abdomen, and loAver tail-coverts light red. 



Length to end of tail 8 ; wing from flexure 5 ; tail 

 2_a_ • tin along the ridge ^4- ; bare part of tibia yV; tarsus 

 Uf ; third toe if, its claw -fe. 



Female in Summer. — The female resembles the male, but 

 has the lower parts tinged with grey, and of a paler red. 



Habits. — The Grey Phalarope has seldom been seen 

 alive in Britain by any person capable of describing its 

 habits. Montagu states that he once met with one " swim- 

 ming in a small pool of water left by the tide on the Sussex 

 coast. It was continually dipping its bill into the water, as 

 if feeding on some insects, and so intent as to suffer us to 

 approach within a few yards. It never attempted to dive, 

 and when disturbed flew only a small distance, very like the 



