430 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. ISO 



like the plumage of gulls. Both are developments for a truly aquatic 

 life as phalaropes are adept swimmers. 



The tarsus in all is strongly compressed from side to side. Males 

 are smaller and duller in color than females. The three species nest 

 in the north and in winter move into the Southern Hemisphere, 

 where two range in flocks at sea, and the third is found along shores 

 and inland in southern South America. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PHALAROPODIDAE 



1. Bill shorter, about as long as head, broad, slightly expanded toward the 



tip ; base of bill with nostrils definitely separated from the frontal feathering. 



Red phalarope, Phalaropus julicarius, p. 430 



Bill longer than head, slender and attenuate, with the nostrils close to the 



frontal feathers 2 



2. Smaller, with much smaller legs ; tarsus less than 24 mm. ; bill more slender, 



especially at the tip, and shorter, not more than 25 mm. 



Northern phalarope, Lobipes lobatus, p. 432 

 Larger, with longer, heavier legs; tarsus more than 28 mm.; bill heavier, 

 particularly toward tip, and longer, not less than 28 mm. 



Wilson's phalarope, Steganopus tricolor, p. 431 



PHALAROPUS FULICARIUS (Linnaeus): Red Phalarope; Pollito de Mar 



Rojizo 



Tringa Fulicaria Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 148. (Northeastern 

 Manitoba.) 



A small, swimming shorebird, with heavy bill that is slightly ex- 

 panded toward the tip. 



Description. — Length, 200 to 210 mm. Nostril separated from the 

 anterior margin of the feathers on the forehead by a definite space 

 of 2 mm. or more ; tarsus short, about equal to middle toe. Summer 

 plumage (male definitely duller than female), crown, hindneck, and 

 loral area slaty black ; throat somewhat gray ; upper back dull black ; 

 scapulars and upper tail coverts black, edged broadly with buff ; wing 

 coverts dark gray edged lightly with white; primary coverts and 

 inner secondaries with broad white tips and edgings ; primaries, rest 

 of secondaries, and tail slaty black; under wing coverts and sides 

 white ; entire under surface vinaceous-brown. 



Winter plumage (sexes alike), head, neck, and entire under surface 

 white ; occiput and region around eye slate ; upper surface light gray. 

 In changing plumage the white of the under surface often is mixed 

 with brown. 



