208 BROWN PHALAUOPE. 



The genus Lobipes, of the Baron Cuvier, is founded upon 

 this species; and it must be confessed, that its characters are 

 sufficiently distinct, from those of the bird which follows, to 

 authorize such a separation; but unless some new species should 

 be discovered, we see no impropriety in associating the two 

 birds already known, taking care, however, to preserve a con- 

 sistency in the generic characters, which Temminck, in his Ma- 

 nuel, has not sufficiently observed. 



In the appendix to Montagu's Supplement to the Ornitholo- 

 gical Dictionary, we find the following remarks on this species, 

 there named fulicaria: " We have before mentioned, that this 

 bird had been observed in the Orknies, in considerable abund- 

 ance, in the summer, and that no doubts were entertained of its 

 breeding there, although the nest had not been found. To Mr. 

 Bullock, therefore, we are indebted for the further elucidation 

 of the natural history of this elegant little bird. In a letter to the 

 author, this gentlemen says, "I found the Red Phalarope common 

 in the marshes of Sanda and Westra, in the breeding season, 

 but which it leaves in the autumn. This bird is so extremely 

 tame that I killed nine without moving out of the same spot, 

 being not in the least alarmed at the report of a gun. It lays 

 four eggs, of the shape of that of a snipe, but much less, of an 

 olive colour, blotched with dusky. It swims with the greatest 

 ease, and when on the water looks like a beautiful miniature of 

 a duck, carrying its head close to the back, in the manner of n 

 Teal." 



Mr. Bullock further observes, "that the plumage of the fe- 

 male is much lighter, and has less of the rufous than the other 

 sex."* 



Note. Since the foregoing was written, I have had an op- 

 portunity of examining the identical specimen, from which Wil- 

 son's drawing was taken, as it still remains in the Albany Mu- 

 seum. It is of the same species as the individual in the Phila- 

 delphia Museum, and which is described, above, in detail. That 



*From Mr. Orel's supplementary volume. 



