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 



Phalaropus fulicarius [Linncsus) 

 This species only appears as a rare nomadic spring, 

 autumn, and winter migrant on our south-eastern and south- 



