The Northern Phalarope 



Of the countless myriads of dainty voyageurs which do succeed in 

 reaching the high north, there is no better account given than the classical 

 report of E. W. Nelson : 



"The female of this bird, as is the case with the two allied species, is 

 much more richly colored than the male and possesses all the rights 

 demanded by the most radical reformers. 



"As the season comes on when the flames of love mount high, the dull- 

 colored male moves about the pool, apparently heedless of the surrounding 

 fair ones. Such stoical indifference appears too much for the feelings of 

 some of the fair ones to bear. A female coyly glides close to him and bows 

 her head in pretty submissiveness, but he turns away, pecks at a bit of 

 food, and moves off. She follows, and he quickens his speed, but in vain ; 

 he is her choice, and she proudly arches her neck, and in mazy circles 

 passes and repasses before the harassed bachelor. He turns his breast first 

 to one side and then to the other, as though to escape, but there is his 

 gentle wooer ever pressing her suit before him. Frequently he takes flight 

 to another part of the pool, all to no purpose. If with affected indiffer- 

 ence he tries to feed, she swims along side by side, almost touching him, 

 and at intervals rises on wing above him, and, poised a foot or two over 

 his back, makes a half a dozen sharp wing strokes, producing a series of 

 sharp whistling noises, in rapid succession." 



Taken in Santa Barbara 



A BAND OF DRESSPARADOES 



Photo by the A ulhor 



u8\ 



