266 THE PHALAROPES 



held in the hand. The females, according to both the above 

 observers, showed no trace of anxiety, swimming and feeding in the 

 water some distance away. The Rev. H. H. Slater, however, who 

 had considerable experience of the species in Iceland, states that 

 he often saw both parents with the young especially in the case 

 of isolated nests showing extreme devotion. 1 



Comparing these various observations, it would appear that, in 

 the case of both species, the greater part of the true courtship is 

 conducted by the female, and this on the water, in the form of a 

 swimming dance ; but there is also a distinct courting action, on the 

 wing, by the male of, at any rate, the rednecked-phalarope. The 

 males incubate by day, if not entirely. The female rednecked- 

 phalarope remains in the vicinity of the nest and warns the sitting 

 male of the approach of danger, and, although showing less anxiety 

 than the male when the chicks are hatched, bears some share in 

 looking after them. If the recorded observations on the grey- 

 phalarope may be accepted as reliable and complete, the female of 

 this species takes no further interest after the eggs are laid, leaving 

 all further duties to the male. 



The chief point on which further information is wanted is, 

 whether the male of the rednecked-phalarope really does the whole 

 of the incubating unrelieved by the female. There are comparatively 

 few species of birds especially in the Wader family in which the 

 whole duties of incubation are borne by one sex. Modern prejudice is 

 against shooting a bird from the nest to ascertain the sex, although it 

 is not long since this was considered commendable and scientific. 

 With species the sexes of which are alike, or even nearly so, we must 

 either content ourselves with observations on such points, based more 

 or less on guess-work, or use the only means to certainty, however 

 unpleasant it may be. This must not be taken as an apology for the 

 killing of birds at any and every season, merely to make up series in 

 private collections. Such collections can be little more than a waste 



1 British Birds ivith their Nests and Eggs, vol. v. pp. 102-3. 



