No. V.] 



ZOOLOGY. 



691 



winter, yet their visits to the milder climates are rare and casual; Wilson has 

 figured and described both species from specimens which he considered as only 

 accidental. They are subject to much variation of plumage, not only from 

 season, but from diversity of age and of sex ; they have consequently been de- 

 scribed and named most variously, and even confounded with each other. Much 

 elucidation of their history and changes of plumage was obtained by Captain Sabine, 

 in each of his voyages to the Arctic Seas, and is detailed in his two publica- 

 tions before referred to. These, with the investigations of M. Temminck, which 

 are to be found in the second edition of his Manuel cFOrnithologie, have nearly 

 cleared away the obscurity and doubt in which the account of these birds were 

 involved. 



Phalaropus Wilsord. American Phalarope. 



This exquisitely beautiful bird, it is believed, has never before been described, 

 or come under observation. It was received in the collection despatched from Cum- 

 berland House, in the spring of the year 1820. The specific appellation will, it is 

 hoped, be considered a proper compliment to the individual who has so often 

 been quoted in these notices ; in affixing his name to an American bird, it is 

 proposed to record the renown amongst naturalists, which that quarter of the world 

 has acquired by his labours in Ornithology. The specimen, when extended, measures 

 ten inches and a half in length ; the bill is one inch and a quarter long, black, 

 narrow at the base and slender, the whole of its length having a very slight general 

 incurvation ; the upper mandible is flattened and turned downwards a little at its 

 termination, and covers the end of the lower mandible; the forehead and top of the 

 head is a clear pale ash colour ; from near the junction of the mandibles a narrow 

 line on each side of the head passes through the eyes to the side of the neck, where 

 it widens considerably, and is contained in a broad patch to the back ; this mark is 

 at first black, but after it has passed the eye about half an inch, it gradually becomes 

 a very deep chestnut; the chin and sides of the head between the above line are 

 white ; the neck is dingy white, slightly tinged with ehestnut, darker near to the 

 edges of the above patch ; the belly and all the under parts are white ; at the back 

 of the neck is a white line between the two dark markings described above; the back 

 and scapulars are dark ash colour, in which some few chestnut feathers are mixed ; 

 these are so disposed as to have an appearance of an irregular continuation of the 

 dark chestnut patches on the sides of the neck ; the whole of the wing feathers and 

 upper coverts are dark ash colour, the large coverts and secondaries very slightly 

 edged with white ; under coverts of the wings white; the two middle tail feathers 

 ash colour; the others the same on their outer web, having the inner mottled with 

 ash colour and white ; upper tail coverts ash colour ; under tail coverts white ; the 



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