334 PR.ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL.E. 



and sand. This s^jecies is infrequent in the middle district, and is rarely seen south 

 of New York. Giraud states, on the authority of Professor Baird, that examples of 

 this Phalarope have twice been taken near Carlisle, Pa. 



Specimens of this Phalarope are occasionally taken near Boston, as well as on 

 various other portions of the New England coast ; but it does not appear to be com- 

 mon on or near the land. It also occurs as an irregular and infrequent migrant, both 

 in spring and fall, near Lake Koskouong. 



A small flock of these birds was seen on the west coast of Greenland, in latitude 

 71°, in Jime, on Parry's first voyage ; and Eoss, in the Appendix to the "Third Voy- 

 age," mentions that a small flock alighted under the lee of the ship during a strong 

 breeze, and were so fearless as to approach within a few yards, feeding on small 

 shrinrps, which were seen in great numbers. At that time the ship was at least sixty 

 miles from the nearest land. These birds were afterward found breeding on the 

 Whalefish Islands ; but none were seen after leaving Greenland. 



According to the observations of Mr. L. Kumlien, this species arrives in Cumber- 

 land in June in large flocks, but is not so common asfiilicarius; and he states that 

 he has seen the lobatus as far south and farther north, and nearly as far from 

 land as that species ; but this is true only of a few individuals. It seems more fond 

 of the shore, breeding plentifully on the islands in Disco Bay. It is less grega- 

 rious than fidicarius, and prefers small bays to the open sea. This bird alights on 

 the drift-ice, and feeds by jumping into the water after food, where the fulkarlus 

 would have alighted in the water in the first place. 



From the denuded condition of the breasts of the males of this species which have 

 been taken during the breeding-season, there is good reason to believe that, like the 

 Wilson's Phalarope, the males of tins species do their full share of the labors of 

 incubation. 



Mr. Elliott found a few stray coujiles breeding uj^on the Prybilof -Islands, nesting 

 around the margins of the ponds ; and he secured several newly hatched young birds, 

 whi('h were very pretty and interesting. The down of the head, neck, and upper 

 parts is a rich brownish yellow, variegated with brownish black, the crown being of 

 this color mixed with j-ellow, with a long stripe extending down the back, flanked 

 witli one over each hip, another across the rump, and a shoulder-spot on each side. 

 The under parts are grayish silvery white. When startled or solicitous for the safety 

 of its young, the jiarent bird utters a succession of sonorous tweets, quickly repeated, 

 with long intervals of silence. 



Mr. Audubon, who found birds of this species quite numerous in the Bay of Fundy, 

 and afterward met with them in Labrador, regarded them as being somewhat shy. 

 They procured their food on the water, on which they alight like Bucks, and float 

 with all the buoyancy of a Gull. They walk about upon masses of floating seaweed 

 as unconcernedly as if on land. Their notes are said to resemble the syllables tweet- 

 tiveet-tweet, and are sharp and clear. Their fliglit is like that of the Common Snipe. 

 At the approach of an enemy they close up their ranks and fly in a body, so that num- 

 bers may be killed at one shot. Audubonhas met with these birds in large flocks at 

 a distance of jnore than a hundred miles from land. 



In Labrador this Phalarope occurred only in small parties of a few pair, and were 

 always in the immediate vicinity of fresh-water ponds, near which they breed. Their 

 nest is described as a hollow scooped out among the herbage, lined with a few bits of 

 dry grass and moss. The eggs were always four, are said to average 1.19 inches by 

 .88, to be pointed at the smaller end, and with the ground-color of a deep duU buff, 

 irregularly marked with blotches of a dark reddish brown. The birds showed great 



