92 BIRDS OF ICELAND 



Phalaropus hyperTboreus (Linn.). 

 Eed-necked Phalarope. 



Native names : ' Sundhani ' (' Swimming fowl '), ' 'OSins- 

 hani' (Odin's fowl); and Grondal adds some 

 ponderous and deservedly antiquated ones, viz. 

 ' landsj>ingisskrifari/ ' torfgrafar-dlpt,' etc. 



A summer visitor, arriving in May and remaining 

 till August, or the beginning of September. Very 

 common everywhere, and charmingly tame and con- 

 fiding in its ways. 



The nest is placed near water (fresh water, usually), 

 in a tuft of rushes or sedge, and is usually well hidden, 

 which seems unnecessary, because the bird is invari- 

 ably ready to show you where it is. Four eggs of the 

 usual pyriform Wader shape are laid, of a greenish 

 buff, thickly spotted and blotched wdth black, and 

 very much like those of the last species, from which 

 they differ in being a shade smaller, rather darker in 

 ground colour, and usually more thickly, but less 

 boldly, spotted. Length about IJ inches, or rather 

 less. 



The plumage of this bird in summer is sooty grey 

 above with buff streaks on the shoulders ; white throat 

 and sides of face, succeeded by a chestnut collar ; breast 

 sooty grey, rest of underparts white. In winter the 

 plumage is totally different, but (somewhat remarkably, 

 considering how abundant it is in Iceland) it is hardly 

 ever seen in this dress in Britain, though the rarer 



