NORTHERN PHALAROPE. IS? 



DKSCiai'TION OF XE!STS AND K(;(:S. 

 Eyys, placed on the grounJ in a IkjII.w scratched in the soil, with a little gra**, etc.; two to lour in mnnber, rather ))yr- 

 iforni in shape, ashy-yellow in color, spotted and blotched irregularly, au.l u-^ually coarsely, with lirown of varying shades. 

 Dimensions from -'JOx 1-20 to Mx 1 :». 



HAIUTS. 



"Wilson's Phaliirope, although very comnioii in the West, is ex(3oe(lingly rare on the 

 Atlantic coast of the United States and I have never met with a specimen living, nor do I 

 now remember hearing of an authentic instance of its recent capture, at least in New Eng- 

 land. It does, however, occur east of the Mississippi, as it breeds in Illinois. According 

 to notes, this Phalarope is quite unique among birds, as it is affirmed that the female is 

 not only brighter in plumage than the male but that she does all the courfnig, while the 

 male sits on the eggs after they are deposited. Mr. F. T. Jenks of Providence, who has 

 been among these birds when they were breeding, assures me that the above mentioned 

 facts are true and others have asserted the same thing. In the face of all these witnesses, 

 I shall not venture a remark but will merely tell the tale to my readers as it is told to me. 

 Wilson's Phalarope arrives from the South with other shore birds ami departs with them iu 

 the autumn. 



PHALAROPUS HYPERBOREUS. 



Northern Phalarope. 



Phalaropus hyperlioreus Tf.mm., Man., II; 18i!i), 709. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cn. Form, rather slender. Size, small. Bill, slender and but slightly Ioniser than head. Legs, not long. Lat- 

 3ral toe membranes, wide, and scalloped at each |)lialangeal j lint, while the basal ones are large. Tail, considerably round- 

 ed. Tongue, long, thin, and slender, narrowing tow:.rd tip which is pointed. 



Color. Adult. Above, very dark ashy-brown, darken on liead and lightest on rump, mixed with bright chestnut on 

 back. A ringof chc^tnut-red surrounds neck and a stripe of the same color extends down sidesol it. Tips of greater wing 

 coverts and under portions of body, white, with the sides tinged with asliy mixed wltli reddish. 



Young. Lack the chestnut markings of the adult and the feathers above are somi'timcs edged with reddish, other- 

 wise similar. Iris, brown, bill and feet, black, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Readily known liy the small size, .short, slender, pointed bill, rounded tail, widi;, scalloped, lateral toe membranes and 

 larn-e basal ones. Distributed, as a summer resident, throughout the circumpolar Arctic Regions; wintering in the South 

 Temperate Zone. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average mea.surement.s of specimens from Eastern America. Length. 7'5; stretch, 13-7.'i; wing, 4-5.5: tail. 225; bill, 

 TOO; tai-sus, -Hit. Longest specimen, 800; greatest extent of wing, U-.W; Icmgest wing, 4-GO; tail, 250; bill, MO; tarsus, 

 •85. Shortest specimen, 7-.50; smallest extent of wing, 13-0il, shortest wing, 4-.50; tail, 2-00; liill, -OO; tarsus, -75. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EtiGS. 

 EijijS, placed on the ground in a depres.sion of the soil, on a little grass. They are from two to four in number, rather 

 pyiiform in shape, varying from greenish 1 1 yellowidi-ash in color, spotted and blutelied irregularly, thickly, and u-ually 

 coarsely, with brown .f varying si adcs. Dimcn'^ion.s f:(;m •75x 1(2 to 'SOx l-:0. 



IIABirS. 

 Off the eastern and southern side of Gran<l Menan are spots where the tide rushing 

 out of the BayofFundy, meets the waters of the ocean, causing a peculiar agitation on 

 the surface. These arc called rips by the fishermen and their presence is not only detect- 

 ed by the whirling of the water but also by the floating sea weed and debris brought dowa 



