OTHER VARIETIES 319 



larger, the female measuring nine and a half to ten 

 inches, and being a trifle larger always than the male. 

 All phalaropes have this striking difference from other 

 game — the females are not only the larger and hand- 

 somer birds, but *' do the courting while the male per- 

 forms most of the duties of incubation, thus affording 

 an instance of the exercise of ' woman's rights ' in the 

 fullest degree." The female goes through all the 

 motions of love-making and pursues the male about as 

 he runs or flies from point to point, and, finally having 

 compelled his attention, the nest is constructed, the 

 eggs are laid and the male is left to sit upon them, 

 while the female swims about upon the surface of the 

 water and has the general good time which the male 

 of other birds is supposed to have while the female is 

 engaged in incubation. 



The red phalarope and the Northern phalarope 

 inhabit the northern portions of both hemispheres, 

 migrating southward in the winter; the Wilson's pha- 

 larope is distinctly a bird of the New World, and is said 

 to be more of an inland species than the others, being 

 very common in the Mississippi valley. The pha- 

 laropes are all good swimmers, and are often seen on 

 the water. 



The phalaropes fly swiftly in flocks, and it is not a 

 difficult matter to kill a number at a shot. The gun 

 should be held well ahead when the flock is passing at 

 a distance. No. 8 shot is the proper size. 



The Wilson's phalarope does not go as far north as 

 the others, and is said^to breed in Northern Illinois, 

 Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Michigan, 

 and Oregon. It is recorded as a summer resident in 



