THE GREY PHALAROPE. 641 



Field -characters. — Their extreme confidence ensures observa- 

 tion of Phalaropes at close quarters. They spend much of their 

 time on the water, where, owing to their buoyancy, they look like 

 miniature Gulls, but swim with bobbing action of Moorhen and 

 frequently dip their bills in the water. In breeding dress the Grey 

 is distinguished by its yellow bill, reddish -chestnut under -parts 

 and brownish back striated with buff and chestnut. The winter 

 plumages are less distinct, but the Grey is larger and has a shorter 

 and broader bill. Its irregular appearances in Britain are mostly 

 on migration in autumn when it is seen oftenest on coast, less 

 frequently and as a rule singly on lakes and even on small ponds 

 inland. When in flocks the birds are said to twitter continually. 

 Alarm-note at nesting-grounds is described by Miss Haviland as a 

 shrill " drrrt, drrrt." 



ZBreeding-habits. — Breeds on islands in fjords, broken ground 

 In neighbourhood of swampy pools, and near coast Nest. — 

 In high north, merely a deep cup in moss or shingle, often 

 sheltered by an outcrop of stone, but in sheltered localities and 

 in grass-covered islands of Siberia, substantial nest of grass is 

 made in a tussock in marshy ground. Eggs. — Usually 4, but at 

 times 3 only, while 6 have been found in one nest, pyriform (or 

 -ovate at times) blotched^ and spotted with black-brown and a few 

 ashy spots on stone-colour to olive-brown ground. Average of 

 155 eggs, 30.4x21.8. Max. : 33.8x21.2 and 30.5x24.5. Min. : 

 27.5 X 20.6 and 28.5 X 20.5 mm. (Spitsbergen and Iceland). Breeding- 

 season. — End June and early July in Spitsbergen ; July in Siberia. 

 Incubation. — By male only. Period 14-16 days (Hantzsch). Single 

 brooded. 



Food. — Insects and their larvae (diptera, coleoptera, etc.) ; small mol- 

 lusca (Bissoa, Paludestrina, etc.) ; Crustacea {Idotea, Gammarus and 

 small shrimps), small sandworms, leeches, Acaridae, etc. Vegetable 

 matter is also taken, chiefly algae, and occasionally bits of moss. 

 Le Hoi regards Crustacea as main food and mollusca as secondary. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Passage -migrant (early Sept.-early 

 Nov.). Scarce and irregular all coasts (most regular south-west 

 England) autumn, rare winter and spring. Occasional inland. 

 Periodically (after heavy south-west gales) in numbers, as autumns 

 1866, 1869 and 1886 in south England and autumn 1891 in many 

 parts. Rare vagrant Hebrides, Orkneys and Shetlands. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in arctic regions of Old and New 

 Worlds (in Europe south to Iceland (very local), Spitsbergen and 

 Novaya Zemlia), migrating in winter south to Falkland and Juan 

 Fernandez Islands, Chile and Patagonia ; in east to China, once 

 Kauai, once New Zealand. In Europe in winter found on many 

 inland waters and along coasts of Mediterranean, also in north 

 Africa and Madeira and Azores. Spitsbergen birds have been 

 separated as P. f. jourdaini, but require further study. 



VOL. II. 2 T 



