THE OSPREY. 



87 



PHALAROPES. 



NOTES ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE RED AND NORTHERN PHALAROPES AT SANTA CRUZ, CAL. 

 RICHARD C. M'gREGOR, LELAND STANFORD JR. UNIVERSITY. 



NO matter how well acquainted one may become small <riistai-i-a from the surface of the water. As I 



with any bird, either common or rare, the attempted to approach them the whole flock arose 



first sight of the nest and eggs or young or and circling rapidly for a few seconds lit again a long 



flock or migrants is the one which gives the greater way off. Another time, apparently forgetting my 



part of the character to our concept or composite presence, they would light only a few feet from their 



mind-picture of that species. Of all the Robin or starting place. Never having seen the bird before 



Catbird eggs do you not best remember the first nor read any description of it I was puzzled as to its 



nestful which you found, and what rare water-bird's identity. The next day, however, fortune favored 



eggs do you prize more than the first set of Coot's or me, for a small number of the birds were feeding in 



Tern's? a pond. Their movements were similar to those just 



And now I want to tell you about the first time I described. The head moved as if on a spiral spring 



saw the two Phalaropes which we find on our Cali- and food was secured by quick dabs at the surface of 



fornia coast. I am led to speak of my observations the water, 

 of these birds by reading a note of Mr. Cohen's I found their time was spent either at the edge of 



(Nidologist, III, p. 20,) con- 

 cerning the ability of the Red 

 Phalarope to swim. That 

 Phalaropes voluntarily swim 

 there can be no doubt. I have 

 repeatedly seen them in deep 

 water feeding and swimming. 

 The birds which Mr. Kaeding 

 saw in Golden Qate I'ark are 

 hardly referable to Wilson's 

 (Nidologist, IV, p. 10,) since 

 that has not been recorded 

 from this coast. Near San 

 Diego the Red Phalarope re- 

 mains all winter at times and 

 swims about the 'tide slicks' 

 feeding. Coues on the author- 



(i) Head of Phalaropus lobatus, dorsal aspect. 

 (2) Foot of same. (3) Crymophiliis fiilicarius. 



the salt water, or, as likely in 

 swimming on small brackish 

 lagoons, just back of the sand 

 beaches Along the shore near 

 Seabright and Twin Lakes the 

 Phalaropes were abundant. 

 On one occasion when surf- 

 bathing I was able to get with- 

 in four feet of a Northern 

 Phalarope before it would 

 leave a bit of sea-weed from 

 which it was feeding. In the 

 Bay of San Diego they are 

 often seen, and a flock of eight 

 or nine Red Phalaropes was 

 seen in Lower California on a 

 fresh water lagoon some twelve 

 miles from the coast. This 



ity of Dr. Cooper says the 



Northern Phalarope "passes in spring and fall was the middle of April and several showed red 



through Washington Territory in small flocks, which blotches on the white plumage. 



associate sometimes with the Sandpipers, but appear 

 to prefer wetter feeding-grounds, wading in the shal- 

 low creeks at low tide, and even swimming on the 

 ocean, several miles off shore." (Birds N. W., p. 

 470.) An examination of the feet would furnish any 



Most any day you can see Gulls or l^elicans whose 

 sole object in life is to kill time, but if we watch the 

 Phalarope we will see a strong contrast. Perhaps 

 you are watching one of those old Pelicans as he sits 

 upon the water waiting for his last fish to digest, 



farther necessary evidence. The toes, as shown by when a light shadow crosses your path and before 



the accompanying outline, are lobed much like those you have time to look up a little flock of birds 



of a coot, and because the specimens which I have drops to the sand. They don't stop to look around 



do not match the plate in Ridgway's Manual my or take weather ob.servations ; they just go to work, 



mother has made a little drawing of the foot. The They have come for business and it is hard luck for 



feet of Cryniophilus and Phalaropus seem to be just any sand-flea who doesn't clear out of their way. 



alike except that the former is slightly larger. The The Phalaropes usually feed near the water's edge 



outline heads will serve for hasty identification of the ^hen they are not actually in the water. Not a 



two species. moment is lost as they run hurriedly back and forth ; 



My first experience with Phalaropes was at Santa now following a receding wave to catch belated 



Cruz. When rowing on the river one evening about Hippus and again industriously turning over decaying 



dusk, I noted a flock of some twenty or more little 'r/i,'" '" order to capture the small crustaceans 



white-breasted birds swimming nervously here and {Orchestia) which are to be lurking there. Mr. 



there with a peculiar jerky movement. They were Anthony finds that they feed on minute particles of 



busily feeding, gathering as I afterwards found, animal matter. You may approach to within a few 



