NORTHERN PHALAROPE 17 



right or left as the bright black eyes catch sight of some minute particle of 

 food. They may be watched with pleasure for hours, and present a picture of 

 exquisite gentleness which renders them an unfailing source of interest. The 

 female of this bird, as is the case with the two allied species, is much more 

 richly colored than the male and possesses all the " rights " demanded by the 

 most radical reformers. 



Courtship. — The same gifted writer goes on to say : 



As the season comes on when the flames of love mount high, the dull-colored 

 male moves about the pool, apparently heedless of the surrounding fair ones. 

 Such stoical indifference usually appears too much for the feelings of some 

 of the fair ones to bear. A female coyly glides close to him and bows her 

 head in pretty submissiveness, but he turns away, pecks at a bit of food 

 anil moves off ; she follows and he quickens his speed, but in vain ; he is her 

 choice, and she proudly arches her neck and in mazy circles passes and re- 

 passes close before the harassed bachelor. He turns his breast first to one 

 side, then to the other, as though to escape, but there is his gentle wooer ever 

 pressing her suit before him. Frequently he takes flight to another part of 

 the pool, all to no purpose. If with affected indifference he tries to feed, she 

 swims along side by side, almost touching him, and at intervals rises on 

 wing above him and, poised a foot or two over his back, makes a half dozen 

 quick, sharp whig strokes, producing a series of sharp, whistling noises in rapid 

 succession. In the course of time it is said that water will wear the hardest 

 rock, and it is certain that time and importunity have their full effect upon the 

 male of this phalarope, and soon all are comfortably married, while mater 

 familias no longer needs to use her seductive ways and charming blandishments 

 to draw his notice. 



Mrs. Audrey Gordon (1921) made some interesting observations 

 on the courtship of the red-necked phalarope, as this species is called 

 abroad ; she writes of her experiences in the Hebrides : 



Three pairs were apparently in process of courting and their behavior 

 was most interesting. Both cocks and hens were swimming in the water near 

 the shore or in pools among the rushes. Suddenly a hen would raise herself 

 in the water and flutter her wings at a great pace with her head held down 

 and neck outstretched, all the while uttering a curious harsh call. She 

 would then pursue the cock rapidly through the water for a few yards as 

 though trying to attract his attention. At times the cock rose from the 

 water and flew round about the pool where the hen was, with a low erratic 

 flight and very slow wing beats, calling as he flew. This display only lasted 

 a minute, when he would again alight on the water. Once after this flight 

 the hen followed him closely and he turned and seemed to be about to mate 

 her, but she would not let him. I saw no more on this occasion, but on June IS I 

 watched two hens and one cock in a pool. One of the hens kept close to the 

 cock and whenever the other hen came nearer she would chase her away. 

 Both the cock and the hen were seen to stand up in the water and flutter their 

 wings as described above. The cock seemed to pay little attention to the hens 

 and was busy pursuing, and picking up off the water, large black flies. Then, 

 without any warning or unusual excitement on the part of either cock or 

 hen, the nearest one to the cock suddenly put her head low down in the water 

 with neck outstretched and made a curious single note. The cock at once 

 swam to her and mating took place, the hen being submerged in the water except 

 for her beautiful red neck. The cock fluttered his wings all the time ; he then 



