GREY PHALAROPE. 311 



pared to its delicate grey colour in winter, and from which 

 latter prevailing tint it derives its name, was formerly con- 

 sidered a rare bird in this country, since Pennant says that 

 he only knew of two instances in which it had occurred in 

 his time. It is now known to be of more common, although 

 of very irregular occurrence, generally appearing in the 

 autumn, when on the way to southern winter quarters; 

 and the visitors are, for the most part, young birds of 

 the year, in various stages of change towards the pure and 

 delicate grey colour of the plumage of winter. Some years 

 since, A. B. Lambert, Esq., presented to the Zoological 

 Society a beautifully-marked adult bird, which was killed in 

 Wiltshire in the month of August, and retained at that time 

 a great portion of the true red colours of the breeding- 

 season, or summer plumage ; but specimens obtained in 

 December, January, and February, then exhibit, of course, 

 the perfect grey plumage of winter. 



This species has now been obtained in so many different 

 counties in the British Islands, as to render the particular 

 enumeration of them unnecessary, but it may be said that 

 it is not of frequent occurrence in Ireland, nor on the west 

 coast of Scotland. On the eastern side of the latter, its irregu- 

 lar visits take place in larger numbers, and the same remark 

 applies to both the eastern and the western sides of England, 

 but the more favoured counties are those of the south-east, 

 south, and, in a less degree, the south-west. Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney, jun., has published an interesting pamphlet sum- 

 marizing the occurrences of this species during the great 

 immigration which took place between the 20th August and 

 8th October, 1866, when, according to his estimate, upwards 

 of five hundred were slaughtered, and of these about two 

 hundred and fifty were obtained in Sussex ; very few touch- 

 ing the coast to the north of Ramsgate. Some were killed 

 far inland, although generally by the side of lakes or ponds ; 

 and even on the coast, the favourite localities appear to be 

 pools of fresh or brackish water, sheltered from the turbu- 

 lent sea. Another immigration of some importance which 

 took place in the autumn of 1869, was almost confined to 



