The Wilson Phalarope 
is fortunate enough to encounter a company of these birds on the water 
has a treat in store. Instead of swinging from side to side with a rhythmical 
motion, as do the “Reds” and “Northerns,” the Wilson whirls all the way 
around. Moreover, he keeps on whirling, and though he pauses for the 
fraction of a second to inspect his chances, he goes on and on again like an 
industrious, mad clock. One bird which I had under the binoculars turned 
completely around 247 times in one spot, without stopping save for instan¬ 
taneous dabs at prey. These dabs were directed forward or backward, 
i. e., with or against the direction of the body motion. A single gyration 
normally contains two such minute pauses, accompanied by a hitching 
motion of the head; and these are evidently the periods of maximum 
attention, since they are followed by, or rather flow into, the prey-stroke, 
if game is sighted. “Game” is not always abundant nor certain, and I 
have seen a bird whirl a dozen times without a single stroke. 
Most interesting of all is the probable fact that each bird has his 
habitual direction of revolution, clockwise or anti-clockwise, but not 
both. One would think that the whirling dervishes, at least he of the 247 
Taken in Inyo County Photo by the Author 
NEST AND EGGS OF WILSON PHALAROPE 
1189 
