292 THE RED PHALAROPE. 



tomed to shoot birds, had never seen one of this species on the Ohio, or in 

 any part of the country. It was then and there that I made my first draw- 

 ing of the Red Phalarope, which I shewed to Alexander Wilson during 

 his visit to Louisville. It being late in October, the specimens which I had 

 procured were all in their grey livery, and proved capital eating. As I was 

 anxious to watch the rest of the flock, which I think must have been com- 

 posed of at least a hundred individuals, I went to the same place on the fol- 

 lowing afternoon. As I crossed Bear Grass creek, near its junction with the 

 Ohio, I observed eight or ten of them walking over the green moss on the 

 surface of the water near the shore. Of these I succeeded in killing three. 

 In the course of a walk of two miles along the banks of the river, I could 

 see none; and some Blue-winged Teals happening to pass over from the 

 stream in the direction of a pond between it and Kieger's ferry-house, I 

 went in pursuit of them. Before I got up they had flown away, or had 

 passed over without alighting. There, however, to my great joy, I found all 

 the Phalaropes swimming along the margins and picking up the seeds of 

 grasses. They were much less shy than when I met with them on the river, 

 so that I soon procured eight more at a single shot. The rest rose, emitting 

 quick sharp cries, performed a few evolutions at a considerable height, and 

 went off to the westward. 



On the 1st of September, 1831, while on board the packet ship Columbia, 

 commanded by my good friend Joseph C. Delano, Esq., Nantucket being 

 distant about sixty miles, we came upon an extensive bank of sea-weeds and 

 froth, about a mile in length, which I was told was produced by the action 

 of the tides. On this bed were hundreds of Phalaropes of this species, 

 walking as unconcernedly as if on land. As we approached it, they rose and 

 flew around the vessel for a few minutes, and when we had passed through 

 we saw them re-alight. 



I have not seen the Red Phalarope alive on any other occasion than those 

 mentioned above; and I am indebted to my generous friend Captain James 

 Clark Ross for the beautiful specimens in summer plumage, from which the 

 figures in the plate were taken. 



None of those which I had wounded attempted to dive. When caught 

 and held in the hand, they merely fluttered and tried to escape, like other 

 small birds. Their flight was rapid, resembling that of the Red-backed 

 Sandpiper, Tringa alpina, and they performed various evolutions, some- 

 times skimming over the water, when they kept more apart than either 

 when rising at first, or when they reached a certain height, on attaining 

 which they pursued their course, with alternate inclinations to either side. 



According to Captain J. C. Ross, these birds breed in great numbers far 

 north. The eggs, of which he has favoured me with some, measure an inch 



