200 
ALLEN’S naturalist’s LIBRARY. 
“ The first arrivals reach St. Michael’s in full plumage from 
May 14-15, and their number is steadily augmented until, in 
the last few days of May and first of June, they are on hand in 
full force, and ready to set about the season’s cares. Every 
pool now has from one to several pairs of these birds gliding in 
restless zig-zag motion about its border, the slender necks at 
times darting quickly right or left as the bright black eyes catch 
sight of some minute particle of food. They may be watched 
with pleasure for hours, and present a picture of exquisite gen- 
tleness, which renders them an unfailing source of interest. The 
female of this bird, as is the case with the two allied species, is 
much more richly coloured than the male, and possesses all the 
‘ rights ’ demanded by the most radical reformers. 
“As the season comes on, when the flames of love mount 
high, the dull-coloured male moves about the pool, apparently 
heedless of the surrounding fair ones. Such stoical indifference 
usually appears too much for the feelings of some of the latter 
to bear. A female coyly glides close to him and bows her head 
in pretty submissiveness, but he turns away, picks at a bit of 
food, and moves off; she follows, and he quickens his speed, but 
in vain; he is her choice, and she proudly arches her neck, and, 
in mazy circles, passes and repasses close before the harassed 
bachelor. He turns his breast first to one side, then to the 
other, as though to escape, but there is his gentle wooer ever 
pressing her suit before him. Frequently he takes flight to 
another part of the pool, all to no purpose. If, with affected 
indifference, he tries to feed, she swims along side by side, almost 
touching him, and at intervals rises on wing above him, and, 
poised a foot or two over his body, makes a half-dozen quick 
sharp wing-strokes, producing a series of sharp whistling noises 
in rapid succession. In the course of time, it is said, water 
will w'ear away the hardest roek, and it is certain that time and 
importunity have their full effect upon the male of this Phala- 
rope, and soon all are comfortably married, while materfamilias 
no longer needs to use her seductive ways and charming blan- 
dishments to draw his notice. About the first of June the dry, 
rounded side of a little knoll near some small pond has four 
dark, heavily-marked eggs laid in a slight hollow upon whatever 
lining the spot affords, or, more rarely, upon a few dry straws 
and grass-blades, brought and loosely laid together by the birds. 
