I 86 PHALAROPODID^ : PHALAROPES. 



fair sex conducts the courtship, and several of them may 

 be seen in spring pursuing some modest male, who un- 

 dertakes the role of St. Anthony without success, and 

 when captured, submits with what grace he may to in- 

 cubating such eggs as his flourishing partner assures 

 him are his own. 



The chorus of New England writers swells into one 

 grand symphony in treating of this bird's presence in 



Fig. 43. — Head of Wilson's Phalarope. Fig. 44. — Foot of Northern 

 PHALARorE. Natural size. 



their country, the theme being that Wilson's Phalarope 

 is a rare straggler. So true is this statement that I 

 have been unable to find more than a single authentic 

 case recorded of late years. Much that has been inti- 

 mated on the subject seems to flow from some statement 

 made by Audubon. I have not had time to look up 

 what he says ; but the reader who can tear himself away 

 from these fascinating pages long enough to do so, will 

 be able to inform himself on the subject (see Orn. Biog., 

 iii, 1835, p. 400; 8vo. ed., v, 1842, p. 299). As so fre- 

 quently proves to be the case, the Rev. J. H. Linsley is 

 good authority, and the only one we have so far, for the 

 recurrence of this Phalarope in Connecticut. He speaks 

 of a specimen killed in Bridgeport, and sent to him by 



