RED PHALAEOPE 6 



main business, and this is pursued with extraordinary ardor. The bird's 

 tiny feet kick the water violently, and there is the tiniest compensatory bob 

 for every stroke, so that their little bodies seem all a tremble. There seems 

 to be no difference of opinion between the two species, but there is time for 

 a good deal of amatory play between the sexes of tbe reds. It is always 

 the bright-colored female who makes the advances, for the wanton phalaropes 

 have revised nature's order, and the modest male either seeks escape by flight, 

 or else defends himself with determined dabs. Here is the authentic lady for 

 whom Shakespeare's " pilgrim " sighed. 



Of their arrival on their breeding grounds in northern Alaska, 

 E. W. Nelson (1887) writes: 



It is much more gregarious than its relative, and for a week or two after 

 its first arrival 50 or more flock together. These flocks were very numerous 

 the 1st of June, 1879, at the Yukon mouth, where I had an excellent oppor- 

 tunity to observe them. In the morning the birds which were paired could be 

 found scattered here and there, by twos, over the slightly flooded grassy 

 flats. At times these pairs would rise and fly a short distance, the female, 

 easily known by her bright colors and larger size, in advance, and uttering 

 now and then a low and musical " clink, clink," sounding very much like the 

 noise made by lightly tapping together two small bars of steel. When dis- 

 turbed these notes were repeated oftener and became harder and louder. A 

 little later in the day, as their hunger became satisfied, they began to unite 

 into parties until 15 or 20 birds would rise and pursue an erratic course over 

 the flat. As they passed swiftly along stray individuals and pairs might be 

 seen to spring up and join the flock. Other flocks would rise and the smaller 

 coalesce with the larger until from two hundred to three or even four hundred 

 birds were gathered in a single flock. As the size of the flock increased its 

 movements became more and more irregular. At one moment they would glide 

 straight along the ground, then change to a wayward flight, back and forth, 

 twisting about with such rapidity that it was difficult to follow them with the 

 eye. Suddenly their course would change, and the compact flock, as if ani- 

 mated by a single impulse, would rise high over head, and, after a series of 

 graceful and swift evolutions, come sweeping down with a loud, rushing sound 

 to resume their playful course near the ground. During all their motions the 

 entire flock moves in such unison that the alternate flashing of the underside 

 of their wings and the dark color of the back, like the play of light and shade, 

 makes a beautiful spectacle. When wearied of their sport the flock disbands 

 and the birds again resume their feeding. 



Courtship. — The well-known reversal of sexual characters in the 

 phalaropes makes their courtship particularly interesting, as the 

 large, handsome females press their ardent suits against the timid 

 and dull-colored little males. A. L. V. Manniche (1910) has given 

 us the best account of it, as follows: 



June 19, 1907, early in the morning, I had the pleasure of watching for 

 hours the actions of a loving couple of phalaropes on the beach of a pool sur- 

 rounded by large sedge tufts, covered with long, withered grass. This act I 

 found very funny, peculiar, and charming. When the male had been eagerly 

 searching for food for some 20 minutes, often standing on his head in the 

 water, like a duck, to fish or pick up something from the bottom, he would lie 

 down on a tuft, stretching out his one leg and his one wing as if he would 

 fully enjoy the rest after his exertions. The female for some moments was 



