THE COAST AT MONTEREY 



271 



counted by seeing quite as many males as females pirouet- 

 ting; while the sight of single birds, of either sex, whirling 

 around quite alone, cast doubt on the sexual significance of 

 the evolution. 



Brandt's Cormorants Gathering Grass 



In short, it required only a few moments' watching to 

 learn that the revolving birds were feeding. The lobed feet 

 were moved alternately in such a manner that the birds 

 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 Phalaropes 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. 



