540 THE NORTHERN PHALAROPE. 



the northern seas. It obtains its food, also, far from shore, gleaning for 

 the purpose the tiny crustaceans which infest the surface waters of the ocean. 

 The whalers affirm that the appearance of the Phalarope is a good index 

 of the near presence of the large cetaceans, since it delights in the same sort 

 of sea-forage as that upon which the whales subsist. The dainty birds are 

 expert swimmers, and are the most nearly at home in the water of any of the 

 Limicolse. 



No. 255. 



NORTHERN PHALAROPE. 



A. O. U. No. 223. Phalaropus lobatus (Linn.). 



Description. Adult female in summer: Above and on sides of breast and 

 sides (narrowly) slaty with a drab cast, blackish on back and scapulars, and edged 

 here with light ochraceous ; wings darker slaty gray, the greater coverts broadly 

 tipped with white, forming a transverse bar ; sides of neck and lower throat rufous, 

 pure on sides, more or less mixed with slaty gray on throat ; chin and under 

 parts entirely white ; bill black ; feet yellow, lobate and semipalmate, most exten- 

 sively between middle and outer toes. Adult male: Similar, slightly smaller, 

 and of duller coloration, save that the black of back is more decided, and the och- 

 raceous edgings of upper parts deeper. Adults in -winter: Without rufous; more 

 extensively white; crown and auriculars (connecting below eye with a similar spot 

 in front of eye) and median stripe of hind-neck dusky gray; the rest white; re- 

 maining upper parts blackish (centrally) and dusky gray, extensively edged and 

 striped with cream-buff and white ; wing-bar as before ; sides of breast grayish 

 clouded. Immature : Similar to adult in winter, but with more black above ; 

 breast usually tinged with buffy or brownish. Length 7.50 (190.5) ; wing 4.53 

 (115.1) ; tail 2.02 (51.3) ; bill .85 (21.6) ; tarsus .77 (19.6) ; middle toe and claw 

 .80 (20.3). 



Recognition Marks. Chewink size ; slaty gray, rufous, and white of head 

 and neck in spring plumage ; slender, black bill, less than one inch long, with 

 scalloped feet distinctive in any plumage. 



Nesting. Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, a slight depression in the ground, 

 lined with moss and grass. Eggs, 3 or 4, olive-buff or pale olive-gray, heavily 

 speckled, spotted or blotched with dark brown. Av. size, 1.19 x .83 (30.2 x 21.1). 



General Range. Northern portions of northern hemisphere, breeding in 

 Arctic latitudes ; south in winter to the tropics. 



Range in Ohio. Rare spring and fall migrant. A half dozen or more 

 records. 



NOTHING can exceed the exquisite grace of this delicate bird as it 

 moves about, not at the water's edge, like other waders which it so closely 

 resembles in appearance, but upon the surface of a pool or even on the bosom 

 of the deep. As it swims it nods with every stroke, turns at a thought to 



