268 NEW- YORK FAUNA BIRDS. 



THE RED PHALAROPE. 



Phalaropus fulicarius. 

 ' plate civ. fig. 232. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Tringa fulicaria. Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 494. 



P. hyperboreus. WiLSON^Am. Orn. Vol. 9, p. 75, pi. 73, fig. 4. 



P. platyrhincus. Temminck, Orn. Vol. 2, p. 712. 



P. fulicarius. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 341. Nutt. Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 230. Richardsok, 



F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 407. Audubon, Birds of Am. Vol.5, p. 291, pi. 339. Giraud, Birds of 



Long island, p. 245. 



Characteristics. Blackish varied with rufous ; beneath rufous. Winter, ash ; beneath 

 white. Length, 7*0. 



Description. Bill straight, much depressed and enlarged towards the tip, which is tapering, 

 acute, and turned down over the lower mandible ; measured from above, l'O long. Tarsus 

 0-9. 



Color, of a female in the summer plumage : Head and hind head blackish, with a few 

 obscure whitish spots. Back black, bordered with rufous. Some of the scapulars jet black, 

 with a distinct rufous border. Wing-coverts dusky brown, tipped with white, forming an 

 oblique band across the wings. Rump white, covered with reddish. A greyish line ovei 

 the eye ; and on the side of the head beneath the eye, greyish. Stripe passing through the 

 eye, dusky. Chin and middle of the abdomen soiled white ; the former minutely mottled 

 with ashy brown. Neck and sides of the neck extending nearly around it, breast, flanks, vent 

 and under tail-coverts dull chesnut-red. Under wing-coverts white tinged with yellowish red. 

 In winter, the summit of the head, occiput and nape said to be pure ash. Front, sides of the 

 neck, middle of the breast and all other parts beneath pure white. Young, semilunar patch 

 of black on the occiput, and a band of the same color over the eyes ; quills fringed with 

 white. Mr. Giraud describes a specimen shot in the autumn, as follows : " Forehead, throat, 

 a line behind the eye, fore part of the breast, abdomen and lower tail-coverts white ; fore 

 neck pale brown ; a line beneath the eye extending the whole length of the head, crown, 

 fore part of the back, tertials, wings, rump, upper tail-coverts and tail blackish brown, the 

 feathers edged with dull yellowish ; middle of the back and sides of the upper part of the 

 breast greyish blue ; flanks streaked with the same ; bill black ; legs and feet yellowish." 



Length, 7-0-8-0. 



This little arctic species is common to the north of both continents. It appears sparingly 

 on our coast in June, and disappears in September. It breeds only in high northern lati- 

 tudes. Has been seen in Kentucky. Supposed to extend its winter migration to Mexico. 



