III. THE DABCHICKS. I 3 5 



it is more like the Lily-ouzel, according to the 

 follcvving repoic of Mr. St. John: "The red- 

 necked phalarope is certainly the most beautiful 

 little wader of ray acquaintance. There were 

 a pair of them, male and female, feeding near 

 the loch, in a little pool which was covered 

 with weeds of different kinds. Nothing could 

 be more graceful than the movements of these 

 two little birds, as they swam about in search 

 of insects, etc. Sometimes they ran ligJitly on 

 the broad leaves of the water-lily wJiich served 

 them for a raft, and entirely kept them out 

 of the water. Though not exactly web-footed, 

 the phalarope swims with the greatest ease. 

 The attachment of these two birds to each 

 other seemed very great : whenever in their 

 search for food they wandered so far apart as 

 to be hidden by the intervening weeds, the 

 male bird stopped feeding suddenly, and, 

 looking round, uttered a low and musical call 

 of inquiry, which was immediately answered 

 by the female in a different note, but perfectly 

 expressive of her answer, whicli one might 

 suppose to be to the purport that she was at 

 hand and quite safe ; on hearing her, the male 

 immediately recommenced feeding, but at the 



