274 



Bird -Lore 



among the Phalaropes are somewhat unusual. Not only is the female larger 

 and more brightly colored than the male, but she is the male in all but the 

 prime essentials of sex. She woos, selects the nesting-site, and, while of 

 necessity she lays the eggs, the male, unaided, hatches them and rears the 

 resulting family. 



These facts suggest that a careful study of the mating habits of Phala- 

 ropes will throw much needed light on, the problem of sexual selection, and, 

 exulting at the splendid possibilities of the situation, I concealed myself in 

 an overhanging limb which swept the water. The nearest birds were now 

 within ten feet. The larger size and brighter plumage of the females was 



strikingly noticeable 

 and no difficulty would 

 therefore be exper- 

 ienced in determining 

 the part in the perfor- 

 mance taken by both 

 sexes. 



At once the alleged 

 forwardness of the fe- 

 male was discounted 

 by seeing quite as many 

 males as females pir- 

 ouetting; while the 

 sight of single birds, 

 of either sex, whirling 

 around quite alone, 

 cast doubt on the sex- 

 ual significance of the 

 evolution. 



In short, it required 

 only a few moments' 



NORTHERN PHALAROPE WHIRLING watchiug tO Icam that 



the revolving birds were feeding. The lobed feet were moved alternately in 

 such a manner that the bird spun around in the same spot, making a complete 

 revolution in about two seconds and from three or four to as many as forty 

 turns without stopping. A rotary movement of the shallow water was thus 

 created, bringing to the surface small forms of aquatic life which the Phala- 

 ropes eagerly devoured, their slender bills darting rapidly two or three times 

 during each revolution. It was an interesting and, in my experience, a 

 novel method of securing food. 



