BED PSALABOPE 325 



While the Red Phalarope remains in northern latitudes for a 

 longer period than does the Northern, usually from late May to the 

 middle of October, the nesting period is quite restricted. Nelson 

 (loc. cit) found that the bulk of the species nested at St. Michael 

 during the first two weeks of June, while Grinnell (1900, p. 20), just 

 north of Cape Prince of "Wales, found slightly incubated eggs on June 

 27 and 28. 



The species varies somewhat in its nesting habits, according to 

 Nelson and Grinnell, the nests sometimes being situated close to bodies 

 of water and at other times at considerable distances from water. The 

 nest itself is a slight depression in the top of a grassy hummock or 

 on the surface of the bare ground, usually with a sparse lining of 

 dry grasses or leaves. In some cases the nest is rather well concealed 

 behind drooping grasses or willows. 



Manniche (1910, pp. 154-155) says that in northeastern Green- 

 land 



. . . the nest building was executed by the male. He was busy in build- 

 ing the nest on a low bank covered with short grass, while . . . [his mate] 

 paid no attention to his labour, but swam around the beach searching food. 



The male shaped a nest-hollow by turning round his body against the 

 ground on the place selected, having first by aid of the feet scraped away and 

 trampled down the longest and most troublesome straws. He diligently used 

 feet and bill at the same time to arrange the shorter fine straws, which are 

 carefully bent into the nest hollow and form the lining of this. The nest was 

 much smaller than that of Tringa alpina and contained one egg the next day. 



A brooding "Phalarope will lie motionless with his head pressed 

 deep down against his back. He is almost fully covered by straws, 

 which svirround the nest, as he with the bill bends these over himself ; 

 besides he is so similar to the surroundings, that no human eye is 

 able to distinguish him from these, if the spot is not known before- 

 hand" (Manniche, loc. cit.). If disturbed, the male will perform the 

 broken-wing ruse used by females of other species in decoying an 

 intruder from the vicinity of the nest. 



Three or four pear-shaped eggs comprise a full set in the Red 

 Phalarope. They measure in inches from 1.07 to 1.33 by 0.85 to 0.90. 

 The ground-color is a greenish olive, light or dark buff, or even a 

 grayish olive. The markings consist of large or small spots of dark 

 brown, sometimes equally crowded over the entire surface. They are 

 to be distinguished from those of the Northern Phalarope only by 

 slightly larger average size. 



The period of incubation is not known but probably is about three 

 weeks, as Nelson (1887, p. 98) states that "... toward the end of 

 June most of the young are hatched and, by the middle of July, are 

 on the wing." The young, when they are able to fly, form flocks in 



