332 
PRJ3C0CIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOLAl. 
This species, known among writers both as the Gray and as the Red-necked Phala- 
rope — the one name having been suggested by its winter plumage, the other by the 
bright colors which adorn its summer dress — is common to both continents, breeding 
in the high Arctic regions of Asia, Europe, and America in the early summer, and 
from August to the latter part of May wandering irregularly over a large portion of 
the northern hemisphere. 
Mr. R. Swinlioe mentions having procured specimens of this bird in November 
near Ape’s Hill, in Formosa. It was sitting and floating, washing itself in a little 
stream, and its movements are spoken of as being both pleasing and graceful. At 
Tamsay, March 14, lie procured three others from a flock which was feeding on the 
shoals of the river; and he afterward met with this species on the Island of Hainan. 
As he was leaving Hung-pe, four of these birds flew toward the ship and sat floating 
on the water close to her. He afterward, April 4, on the shore of the Lunchow 
Peninsula, saw another, which he secured. A single specimen is said (“ Ibis,” 1867, 
p. 169) to have been taken by Mr. Wallace in one of the Arm Islands. The natural- 
ists of Perry’s Expedition to Japan procured specimens of this bird from the Island 
of Niplion. 
Although a northern bird in its breeding, this species makes its appearance in 
warmer regions immediately upon the close of its season of reproduction. Mr. Salvin 
met with four of this species at Duenas, in Guatemala, in August, 1859. They had 
apparently but just arrived, and were swimming slowly about on the lake, picking at 
the weeds, and showing the usual absence of timidity peculiar to these birds. 
Midclendorff speaks of this species as being abundant in Siberia, and includes it in 
his list of those birds which penetrate to the extreme north. Yon Heuglin found it 
at the beginning of September on Nova Zembla, already dressed in its autumnal plu- 
mage ; also on Waygatz Island, where it was gathered in family parties of six or more, 
on shallow fresh-water pools. Mr. C. W. Shepherd found it breeding in great numbers 
on the small islands in the Lake of My-vatu, in the north of Iceland. The young- 
birds — “tiny little pieces of animated wool” — were very beautiful ; and the old 
birds were so tame that they were caught in the landing-net like butterflies, as they 
flew around, while the hens sat still, brooding their little ones within a few feet 
of him. 
Professor Newton also mentions finding this bird very common all over Iceland, 
on all the ponds and lakes, arriving late in May, and at once beginning the duties of 
nidification. On one occasion, in the month of June, he saw a flock of at least a 
hundred sitting on the surf, between the breaking waves and the shore. 
Although Mr. Wheelwright found this species far more common in Scandinavia 
than the fulicarius, he does not think that they breed anywhere excepting in the 
Lapland fell-valleys. They breed commonly at Quickiok. The eggs, four in number, 
he describes as being of a pale olive-green color, and covered with large and small 
black-brown spots. He found but little difference between the eggs of this species 
and those of the fulicarius , except that the latter are slightly larger. 
Yarrell states that this bird is much less rare in England than the Red of the 
same species ; but the latter is more common in the northern islands of Scotland. 
Mr. Salmon, who visited the Orkneys in the summer of 4831, says of this bird, as 
quoted by Yarrell : “ This beautiful little bird appeared to be very tame ; although 
we shot two pair, those that were swimming about did not take the least notice of 
the report of the gun ; and they seemed to be much attached to each other, for when 
one of them flew to a short distance, the other directly followed ; and while I held a 
female that was wounded, in my hand, its mate came and fluttered before my face. 
