140 BRITISH BIRDS’ EGGS. 
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. 
PHALAROPUS HYPERBOREUS, Linn. 
Pl. XX., fig. 9. 
Geogr. distr.—In summer in the northern portions of the Palearctic 
and Nearctic regions, migrating southwards at the approach of winter 
as far as Algeria, and in Asia as far as the Aru Islands: it breeds in 
the extreme north of Great Britain. 
Food.—Marine insects, ‘Crustacea, Mollusea, and worms. 
Nest.—Cup-shaped and deep ; of dry grass and fragments of reed. 
Position of nest.—In tufts of grass at the water’s edge, or amongst 
rubbish left dry by the gradual sinking of the water in continuous 
fine weather. 
Number of eggs.—a-4. 
Time of nidification.—V-VI. 
This species used to breed in the Orkney Islands, and 
still continues to do so in the Hebrides and Shetland, but 
very sparingly, and it is believed by some naturalists still 
to breed here and there in the counties of Perth and 
Inverness.* The nest is said to be about the size of that 
of the Titlark. 
The following account of the nesting is from Mr. 
Seebohm’s valuable work, from which (though with the 
free sanction of the author) I have culled so much valuable 
information that I feel almost ashamed of myself :— 
‘The Red-necked Phalarope breeds on the tundras above 
the limit of forest growth, and prefers marshy ground 
covered with long grass, similar to that frequented by the 
Reeves. In this long grass it builds its nest, which is a 
somewhat slight structure of dry stalks, generally placed in 
the middle of a thick tuft, so that it is not unfrequently a 
foot or more from the ground. In some places Havrvie- 
Brown and I found the nests of this bird where the grass 
was short, and in these situations it was scarcely more 
than a hollow in the ground lined with dead grass. We 
invariably found the eggs with the small ends pointed 
inwards, and there was always a lining to the nest.” —(Hist. 
Brit. Birds, vol. iii., p. 90.) 
The egg which I have figured is in the collection of Mr. 
Dresser, but [ believe I have somewhat exaggerated the 
green ground-colour, which is usually paler, and varies to 
pale or deep ochraceous in tint. 
* Seebohm, however, evidently thinks that it has ceased to breed in 
these counties, 
