302 
WILSON’S PHALAROPE. 
Plumage soft and blended. Feathers of the back and wings distinct. 
Wings long and pointed, primary quills tapering but rounded, the first 
longest, the second scarcely shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondary 
quills rather short, broad, obliquely rounded, with a small tip, the inner 
tapering and elongated, so as nearly to equal the longest primaries when the 
wing is closed. Tail rather short, nearly even, but with the two middle 
feathers longer, of twelve rounded feathers, of which the outer are incurved. 
Bill black. Iris brown. Feet bluish-grey, claws black. The general 
colour of the upper parts is brownish-grey, the hind neck and upper tail- 
coverts greyish-white, the top of the head ash-grey. A white line over the 
eye ; a band of black along the lore, under the eye, and down the side of the 
neck, on which it becomes broader and changes into chestnut-brown, when 
it proceeds along the scapulars of a brownish-red colour ; another brownish- 
red band across the wing and including part of the inner secondaries. Quills 
greyish-brown, the outer primaries and their coverts darker. Tail-feathers 
pale brownish-grey on the outer, white more or less mottled on the inner 
webs. Throat and cheeks whit©; fore-neck orange-brown, fading below, 
and extending paler along the sides of the body ; breast, abdomen and lower 
wing-coverts white ; lower surface of wings pale-grey, of tail white. 
Length to end of tail 10 inches, to end of claws 11 ; extent of wings 17 h ; 
wing from flexure 7rV 5 tail 2 I 2 ir ; bill along the back l r \, along the edge of 
lower mandible 1 T 8 2 ; bare part of tibia f ; tarsus 1^ ; middle toe lj%, iis 
daw f l 2 . Weight 2£ oz. 
The female, which is somewhat larger, is in colour precisely similar to 
the male. Weight 3 oz. ■ 
Young in autumn. 
The young bird after the first moult has the bill brownish-black, the iris 
brown, the feet greenish-yellow, the claws black. The upper parts are 
variegated with brownish-black and light greenish-yellow, the central part 
of each feather being of the former colour ; primary quills brownish-black ; 
tail-feathers as in the adult. The lower parts are white. 
