PLATE CLVIL 



his regret that the fearch after the nefts was not attended with'the 

 defired fuccefs, and refpedling the eggs he is entirely filent. The 

 egg is of an oHvaceous colour, mottled with dots and fplafties of 

 blackifh. Mr, Simmonds finally remarks, that as none of the inha-» 

 bitants had obferved them before, they had no provincial name : the 

 bird has been fince difcovered in the breeding feafon in fome plenty 

 among the iflands, from which we may conclude, that although they 

 had efcaped the pofitive obfervation of the natives, we are not to 

 regard their appearance at that time as a recent or accidental vifi- 

 tation,>^ 



Upon a comparifon of the Red with the Grey Phalarope it will 

 be found, that independently of other differences, the form of the 

 bill affords a diftinftion between the two birds, by which they may 

 be readily determined ; in the Grey Phalarope the bill is ftouter, 

 rather more compreffed, and broader : in the red kind it is weaker, 

 the tip pointed and a little bent. It has been urged againft this dif- 

 tindlion, which appears to us fatisfa£lory that by improper treatment 

 in the drying and preparation of the bird in the hands of an inju- 

 dicious preferver, thefe chara6lers may be fo far difguifed by par^ 

 tial contractions as to be no longer worthy of dependence; an argu- 

 ment in our opinion of little weight, fmce it will apply equally to 

 the diftinftions drawn from the chara61;erifl:ic form of the bill in 

 every other bird as well as this. The variety we have figured is of 

 the fame fize as the red Phalarope of other authors, and meafures in 



length feven inches. * 



H % 



