The Wilson Phalarope {Stegampus tricolor) 



By Lynds Jones 



Description. — Adult female in suuuner: Top of head and upper back pearl- 

 gray; nape and upper tail-coverts white; a white supraloral line; a black stripe 

 starting from before eye passes backward, becoming broader on side of neck, 

 changes to deep chestnut on hind-neck, and continuing backward over shoulder, is 

 interrupted and dispersed over the scapulars ; rump and wings grayish brown, 

 the latter with a very little white edging ; tail still lighter gray-brown ; a reddish 

 brown wash across throat and chest and sometimes sides, as tho' the coloring 

 matter of the hind-neck had ''run"; remaining under parts pure white; bill black; 

 feet brownish. Adult male in summer: Similar to female but smaller, lacking 

 the pearl-gray and chestnut, — slaty-gray and rusty instead ; general appearance 

 of back and wings brownish gray, with blackish centers of feathers and some 

 ochraceous edging ; black on sides of head and neck almost obsolete ; rufous tinge 

 of chest very slight. Adults in ivinter: ''Above plain ash-gray ; upper tail-coverts, 

 superciliary stripe, and lower parts white, the chest and sides of breast shaded 

 with pale gray. Young: Top of head, back, and scapulars dusky blackish, the 

 feathers distinctly bordered with buft; wing-coverts also bordered with pale buff 

 or whitish ; upper tail-coverts, superciliary stripe, and lower parts white, the neck 

 tinged with buff" (Ridgw.). Adult female length 970 (246.4); wing 5.23 

 (132.8) ; tail 2.03 (5J.6) ; bill 1.40 (35.6) ; tarsus 1.38 (35.1) ; middle toe and 

 claw 1.20 (30.5). Adult male length 8.75 (222.3) ; wing 4.69 (119.1) ; tail 2.17 

 (55.1) ; bill 1.25 (31.8) ; tarsus 1.26 (32.) ; middle toe and claw 1.06 (26.9). 



Recognition Marks. — Chewink to Robin size; pearl-gray, chestnut, and black 

 in masses distinctive in adult female. This bird superficially resembles the pre- 

 ceding in some of its plumage ; its larger size and especially longer bill, and larger 

 feet, as well as really different color pattern, should be noted. 



Nesting: — Not definitely known to breed in Ohio. Nest, a shallow depression 

 in the earth lined sparingly with grass, or not. Eggs, 3 or 4, grayish or brownish 

 buff, speckled, spotted, and blotched with dark brown. 



Range. — Temperate North America, chiefly interior, breeding from northern 

 Illinois and Utah northward to the Saskatchewan region ; south in winter to 

 Brazil and Patagonia. 



In view of Mr. E. W. Nelson's remarkable discoveries in northeastern 

 Illinois, Dr. Wheaton was led to surmise that these birds might be found breed- 

 ing in at least the northwestern corner of our state. Nothing has, however, come 

 to light to sustain this conjecture, and it is pretty generally understood that we 

 are too far east to expect such a favor. 



Although it has been frequently copied, I cannot forbear to reproduce in this 

 connection a portion of Mr. Nelson's unrivalled description : 



"During the first two weeks of May, the exact date varying with the season, 

 this beautiful bird first makes its appearance in northeastern Illinois. Its arrival 



596 



