336 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
young are conducted entirely by the male bird, and in cor- 
relation with this habit the female does all the courting and 
is brighter in plumage. 
This delightful bird may now only be found nesting in one 
or two spots in Scotland, and as an autumn and winter 
visitor it is decidedly rare and very seldom found inland 
during the winter months. It has not occurred in Ireland. 
When with us it can generally be seen swimming in some 
sheltered tidal pool or in one of the ditches of the marsh close 
to the sea-wall. Its food consists of small insects and 
crustacea. At its breeding haunts it is extremely tame, 
running about within a few feet of the intruder. 
The female takes no notice of the nest after the laying 
of the last egg, the male from that time assuming all duties in 
connection with the young. Frequently the female at the 
beginning of the breeding season is accompanied by more 
than one male, so that it is probable that polyandry exists 
in this group, as it has already been proved to do in other 
cases where the courting is undertaken by the female. 
The call-note is a low ‘‘wit, wit, wit.” In summer the 
head, neck, and shoulders are lead-grey, the back and wings 
darker, with a mixture of pale rufous. A bar across the 
wings white. Sides and front of the neck chestnut; breast 
lead-grey ; chin and rest of under parts white. The male is 
a little smaller in size and duller in coloration than the female. 
In winter the forehead, crown, and under parts are white, feathers 
of the back grey, with white margins. The young have rufous 
margins to the feathers of the back, but otherwise resemble their 
parents in winter dress. Length about 7 in.; wing 4°4 in. 
GREY PHALAROPE 
Phataropus fulicarius (Linneus) 
This species only appears as a rare nomadic spring, 
autumn, and winter migrant on our south-eastern and south- 
me mm 
