THE GRAY PHALAROPE 293 



red-necked phalarope, and somewhat rare (though 

 stated by Saunders to have become more common 

 in Norfolk during the last five-and-twenty years), 

 which visits this country from the spring to the 

 autumn. 



Some three years ago a specimen of the gray 

 phalarope was shot by a friend of mine as it rose 

 from the banks of a pond on the Wiltshire downs 

 close to the village in which I was then residing ; 

 but, I regret to say, it was completely spoiled by 

 the local bird-stuffer. I saw the bird soon after 

 it was killed, and it was in excellent condition, 

 and but little injured, rendering the circumstance 

 all the more to be regretted. The gray phalarope 

 is, however, by no means uncommon in Britain, 

 though in the South-western counties it is of rare 

 occurrence. Saunders records instances of large 

 numbers of these birds having been killed at 

 various times, upwards of 500 in 1866. They 

 appear to visit this country at very irregular 

 intervals, but at these times a considerable influx 

 takes place. The following years have been re- 

 markable for these immigrations : 1866, 1869, 

 and 1886. Nor do these visits seem to be 

 always confined to similar localities, though they 

 appear to have been chiefly in the South and 

 South-eastern counties. In winter, the forehead 

 and crown are white, the nape gray, and there is a 

 white bar across the wing. The female is larger 

 than the male, the under parts being of a reddish- 

 chestnut, the beak orange - yellow, the crown 



