358 WILSON'S PHALAROPE. 



them the type of a peculiar group, in the same manner as we have ob- 

 served is the case with the P. ivilsonii. They are found in the north 

 of both continents, the present being peculiar to America, which pos- 

 sesses them all. Cuvier, losing sight of the strong common tie that 

 connects the Phalaropes, has separated his two groups, PhalaropuB and 

 Lohipes, and has placed the one near Tringa, and the other near 

 Totanus, on account of the analogy of the bill, regarding the Phala- 

 ropus as a pinnate-footed Tringa, and the Lohipes as a pinnate-footed 

 Totanus. Vieillot, in adopting these groups as genera, placed them 

 adjoining each other in a separate family, but he changed Cuvier's 

 names into Grymophilus and Phalaropus, transposing the latter name to 

 the other group, the Lobipes of Cuvier. All the three known Phala- 

 ropes are distinguished by a moderate, slender, straight and subcylin- 

 drical bill : both mandibles are furrowed each side nearly their whole 

 length, and the upper somewhat curved at the point ; the lower is 

 hardly shorter, quite straight, and the point subulate. The nostrils are 

 in the furrows, basal, longitudinal, linear, half closed by a membrane. 

 Their head is small, completely feathered, compressed and rounded 

 above ; the eyes are small, the neck well proportioned, and the body 

 roundish. The feet are moderately long, four-toed ; the naked space 

 on the tibia rather extensive ; the tarsus as long as the middle toe, 

 moderate, robust, somewhat compressed, and scutellated ; the toes are 

 moderate and rather slender, the three anterior bordered by a festooned 

 membrane, and the outer at least is always connected at base to the 

 middle one ; the hind toe is short, bordered only on the inside with a 

 small entire membrane, articulated rather high and internally, touching 

 the ground at tip : the nails are short, curved, and acute. The wings 

 h)ng, falciform, and acute, the first primary being the longest : the 

 quills twenty-five in number. The tail is short, and consists of twelve 

 feathers, with its under coverts extending quite to the tip. 



The female is but little different from the male, but larger and hand- 

 somer in full plumage. The young are very diiferent from the adults, 

 and they vary much with age. They moult twice in the year, their 

 colors changing strangely, which has occasioned the wanton multiplica- 

 tion of species. Their plumage is close, thick, abundantly furnished 

 with down, and impermeable to water. Their colors are principally 

 brownish and reddish, changing in winter to gray and white, which is 

 always to be found on their under parts. 



Their habits are essentially aquatic. They inhabit the seacoasts, the 

 shores of lakes and occasionally of rivers ; are gregarious, but never 

 collect in large flocks. Probably from being so seldom met with, they 

 show little dread of mankind, and allow of the nearest approach, and 

 not being alarmed at the report of a gun, it is easy to kill several with- 

 out moving from one spot. Their food consists of aquatic insects and 



