180 SCOLOPACJD^E. 



almost lost sight of them in the sky above they are down again within 

 a few yards of the surface. While pursuing each other they constantly 

 utter their excited barking cries,, which in tone remind one of the melo- 

 dious barking of some hounds. 



The nest is made on the low ground close to the water, and consists 



merely of a slight lining of dry grass and leaves gathered in a small 



depression on the surface ; the eggs are four in number, pyriform, dark 



olive colour, spotted with brownish black, the spots being very thickly 



crowded at the large end. During incubation the male keeps guard and 



utters a warning note on the appearance of an enemy, whereupon the 



female quits the nest. They also counterfeit lameness to draw a person 



from the neighbourhood of the eggs or young, but in a manner peculiar 



to this species ; for owing to the great length of their legs they cannot 



drag themselves along the ground, as ducks, plovers, partridges, and 



other birds do. Placing themselves at a distance of forty or fifty yards 



from the intruder, but with breast towards him, they flutter about a 



foot above the ground, their long legs dangling under them, and appear 



as if struggling to rise and repeatedly falling back. If approached they 



slowly retire, still fluttering just above the grass and without making 



any sound. After the young birds are able to fly they remain with the 



parents until the following spring ; and sometimes two or three families 



associate together, raising the number of the flock to fifteen or twenty 



birds. The young have a sharp querulous cry of two notes ; the 



plumage is brown and pale grey ; the eyes black. After nine or ten 



months the adult plumage is acquired, not by moulting, but by a 



gradual change in the colours of the feathers. By the same gradual 



process the eye changes from black to crimson, the outer edge of the 



iris first assuming a dull reddish colour, which brightens and widens 



until the whole iris becomes of a vivid red. 



396. PHALAROPUS WILSONI, Sabine. 

 (WILSON'S PHALAROPE.) 



Phalaropus wilsoni, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 144 ; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 42 

 (Chupat). Steganopus wilsoni, Baird, Brew., et Ridgw. Water-B. N. A. 

 i. p. 335. 



Description. Above cinereous ; head above and stripe down the neck clear 

 greyish white ; sides of head and neck black ; middle of back grey, varied with 

 dark maroon j rump and body beneath white ; neck beneath stained with rufous ; 

 bill and feet black : whole length 8-5 inches, wing 5 -5, tail 2-5. Female 

 similar, but rather brighter. Winter plumage : above dark grey, beneath 

 white. 



