182 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



frequently met with hundreds of miles from shore, even following in the wake of 

 whales for the sake of catching the various marine animals that are disturbed 

 each time those mighty creatures " blow." This singular habit has acquired for 

 the Grey Phalarope the name of " Whale Bird." Sabine states that he has seen 

 this species swimming about amongst icebergs, miles from shore. It is most 

 expert at swimming, floating very lightly on the water, with a peculiar bobbing 

 motion of the head, but it is not known to dive. At all times it appears to prefer 

 to swim out of danger rather than to fly. It is also remarkably social, and during 

 winter gathers into flocks, sometimes of very large size. Mr. Nelson, writing of 

 this species in Alaska, in June, before the flocks had dispersed to the breeding 

 places, says : " A little later in the day, as their hunger became satisfied, they 

 began to unite into parties, until fifteen or twenty birds would rise and pursue 

 an erratic course over the flat. As they passed swiftly along, stray individuals 

 and pairs might be seen to spring up and join the flock. Other flocks would rise 

 and the smaller coalesce with the larger until from two hundred to three or even 

 four hundred birds were gathered in a single flock. As the size of the flock 

 increased, its movements became more and more irregular. At one moment 

 they would glide straight along the ground, then change to a wayward flight, 

 back and forth, twisting about with such rapidity that it was difficult to follow 

 them with the eye. Suddenly their course would change, and the compact flock, 

 as if animated by a single impulse, would rise high over head, and after a series 

 of graceful and swift evolutions, come sweeping down with a loud rushing sound 

 to resume their playful course near the ground. During all their motions the 

 entire flock moved in such unison that the alternate flashing of the under side of 

 their wings and the dark colour of their back, like the play of light and shade, 

 made a beautiful spectacle. When wearied of their sport the flock disbanded and 

 the birds again resumed their feeding." The call-note of the Grey Phalarope is 

 a shrill weet, and the alarm note, uttered chiefly during flight, has been described 

 as a rapidly repeated bick-a bick-a. The Grey Phalaropes that have from time 

 to time visited our Islands were very tame and confiding, doubtless because they 

 had had little experience of man ; but Hume states that in Scinde they were 

 wary enough, and the flocks rose simultaneously as soon as a boat approached 

 them. The food of this species consists principally of insects, but crustaceans, 

 small worms, and scraps of vegetable substances are also eaten. 



Nidification. The Grey Phalarope is a late breeder. It resorts to the 

 breeding grounds in May, pairs towards the end of that month, and the eggs are 

 usually laid during the first half of June. They make their nests on the swampy 

 margins of the Arctic pools and lakes, in much the same sort of places as those 

 selected by the Eed-necked Phalarope. The nest is merely a hollow in the 

 moss or lichen-covered ground, but sometimes a few dry leaves are added as a 

 lining. The eggs are four in number, pale buff with an olive tinge in ground- 



