WILSON PHALAEOPE 29 



week in May, sometimes as early as April 27, I have found it com- 

 mon in Texas as late as May 17. Wilson phalarope are often asso- 

 ciated with northern phalaropes on migrations, sometimes in con- 

 siderable flocks, frequenting the temporary ponds made by heavy 

 spring rains on the grassy meadows, rather than the larger ponds 

 and lakes. The first arrivals are usually females, followed later by 

 mixed flocks of both sexes, which soon scatter and separate into 

 small parties of two or three pairs. 



Courtship. — The pursuit courtship is thus described by Rev. P. B. 

 Peabody (1903) : 



For some three weeks after their arrival, these birds gladden landscape and 

 water scape, in care-J'ree abandon. They are ever on the move, afoot or awing ; 

 and during these three weeks of junketing, the unique courtship is carried on. 

 There is no more laughable sight, to one endowed with a modicum of the sense 

 of humor, than that of a couple, or even three, of the brightly colored females, 

 ardently chasing a single somber-plumaged male, who turns and darts, here 

 and there, in arrowy flights apparently much bored by the whole performance. 

 Meanwhile, the sometimes dangling feet and the ever tremulous wings of the 

 amorous females bespeak an ardor that would be ridiculous, under the cir- 

 cumstances, were it not so desperately in earnest. 



Dr. E. W. Nelson (1877), on the other hand, writes: 



At these times the nearest aproach to pursuit is in a habit they have of 

 suddenly darting off for a short distance at right angles to their general course, 

 but this appears to be in mere sport, for nearly the same relative positions 

 are kept by the birds, and this erratic course is rarely pursued beyond a few 

 rods. In fact, throughout the pairing season I have always found the phala- 

 ropes very undemonstrative toward each other, the choice of mates being con- 

 ducted in a quiet, unobtrusive way, quite unlike the usual manner among 

 birds. The ouly demonstrations I have observed during the pairing time consist 

 of a kind of solemn bowing of the head and body ; but sometimes, with the 

 head lowered and thrust forward, they will run back and forth in front of the 

 object of their regard, or again a pair may often be seen to salute each other by 

 alternately bowing or lowering their heads ; but their courtship is characterized 

 by a lack of rivalry and vehemence usually exhibited by birds. A male is often 

 accompanied by two females at first, but as soon as his choice is made the 

 rejected bird joins her fortunes with some more impressible swain. 



During my various seasons spent on the western plains I have 

 frequently seen these phalaropes flying about in trios, consisting of 

 one male and two females, the male always in the lead, as if pur- 

 sued. Females apparently outnumber the males; and, as nest build- 

 ing and incubation are entirely performed by the male, many of the 

 females must remain unattached and unable to breed. I have 

 actually seen the male building the nest and have never been able 

 to flush a female from a set of eggs or a brood of young. 



W. Leon Dawson (1923) writes: 



We have already acknowledged that Mrs. Wilson wears the breeches and 

 that she is more inclined to club life than she is to household cares. The 



