The Zoologist — Januarv, 1870. 1975 



It alighted on a little island of mud in the pool, and I had a good 

 opportunity of watching its movements for some time. On walking 

 towards it with the intention of shooting it, it flew across the pool, 

 when I fired, but unfortunately only wounded it, and it got away. 

 The next morning, however, ray brother found it dead on the beach, 

 not far off. To judge by its having both tarsi broken, and a bad shot 

 wound in the vent, it could not long have survived the shot. It is 

 always distressing to a naturalist, when in pursuit of a bird, to fail in 

 his purpose and let it escape wounded ; he would far rather not shoot 

 at it at all. But the powder is not always " straight !" On the 20th 

 of September I devoted the entire day to a search for this species in 

 the numerous broad dykes which intersect the country between Siddle- 

 sham and Selsea, knowing that, from its partiality for fresh water, it 

 would more probably be found inland than on the sea-shore. 1 walked 

 many a mile of dykes without seeing anything but a kingfisher, until 

 at length, on turning a corner, I caught sight of a gray phalarope 

 swimming in the water, about forty yards ahead. By making a detour 

 and crawling carefully on hands and knees, T was enabled to get very 

 close to it, and, peering through the grass on the edge of the dyke, 

 .could watch every movement of the graceful little bird. In its manner 

 of swimming round and about, now and then pecking at some water- 

 weed, it seemed to resemble the Gallinules, like them nodding the 

 head at every stroke of the foot. When standing on the ground at 

 a little distance, it looked not unlike a ringed plover, but at this 

 season of the year it was much whiter. It rose once, and flew a 

 little way down the dyke, when it alighted on the water again, and 

 commenced swimming as before. On the wing it reminded me of the 

 young of the black tern. After I had watched it for some time, 1 

 was cruel enough to shoot it, just as it was leaving the dyke. It 

 fell out in the field on the opposite side, and I was punished with a 

 severe wetting in endeavouring to jump across. The bird, however, 

 was secured, and I was enabled to satisfy myself of the nature of its 

 food, which I found to consist of small flies and beetles, with the 

 admixture of a little vegetable matter which I could not deter- 

 mine. This confirmed what I had remarked in two other specimens 

 examined. 



J. E. Harting. 



