736 The Zoologist — May, 18C7. 



within the harbour. When disturbed or driven from the shore they 

 would alight on the water; but in the course of a few days became 

 more wary, and were approached with difficulty. Macgillivray says 

 they are of the size of the purple sandpiper; he might have added that 

 they are alike in habits, the latter species being equally familiar : no 

 Tringa, except those of North America, have I found so unwary. Two 

 specimens only of the phalarope have come under my observation, and 

 both had been skiuned aud set up. One is a full-sized adult, in winter 

 plumage, as described by Temminck, the whole of the under parts 

 from chin to vent white. The other is smaller, and evidently a bird 

 of the season in a transition state of plumage : forehead white ; crown 

 of the head longitudinally streaked with black, white and reddish 

 brown ; neck white, but the lower part of a decided rufous tinge ; 

 breast and belly white, mottled with gray and clove-brown; bill dusky, 

 one inch in length, narrow, but towards the point, which is decurved, 

 expands to a two-fold width, having somewhat the appearance of a 

 spoonbill. There is a white band over the eye to the nape, and a 

 black one beneath ; nape black ; back of a bluish gray, but the 

 feathers are streaked with black near the shafts. Primaries black, 

 with white shafts ; secondaries dusky, but very broadly margined with 

 reddish brown, except the inner one, which has that part of a pure 

 white. Tail rather long, viz. 2f inches ; feathers acute, the centre ones, 

 which are the longest, black, margined with reddish brown ; the rest 

 are of a dusky brown, except the exterior ones, which are light grayish 

 brown, margined with white. Scapulars black, edged with reddish 

 brown. Macgillivray says, " tail small;" Temminck, " queue longue," 

 which it is, for a water bird's. Under tail-coverts very elongated, 

 exceeding the tail by a quarter of an inch ; they are white, except 

 towards the points, which have a reddish tinge. The wings when 

 closed slightly exceed the tail. Tarsus and toes of a light brown, 

 slender; nails black, and very small; back toe elevated. Feet partly 

 webbed, and toes lobed, as represented in Bewick's wood-cut ; but 

 Pennant's are of double the natural size. The birds were in poor 

 condition. The phalarope being a rare species with us, I have 

 described the plumage of the immature bird at some length. 



November. 

 Land Rail. — 8th. Sprung a land rail to-day when shooting in a 

 turnip-field on Niton farm ; the mildness of the season may account 

 for its late stay. 



