RED OR GREY PHALAROPE. 
she flew to the water to induce Mm with eager pushes and thumps to accompany 
her. They again whirled violently around, whereafter she, uttering a strong 
alluring sound, flew back to the tuft, this time accompanied by the male— 
and the pairing immediately took place. In the matrimony of the Grey 
Phalarope the female only decides. She exceeds the male in size and brilliancy 
of plumage and has the decisive power in all family affairs. If she wants to 
shift her place of residence she flies up swift as an arrow, with a commanding 
cry—which may be expressed as “ pittss ”—and if the male does not follow 
her at once she will immediately return and give him a severe pumshment, 
which never fails to have the desired effect. It is a well-known fact that she 
completely ignores her eggs and young ones.’ 
“ Nesting . The same author describes the nesting-habits of this species in 
north-east Greenland as follows : ‘ It is peculiar that the male has well-marked 
breeding spots before the breeding begins and certainly before the female has 
laid her first egg ; but this fact has been proved by several solid examinations, 
dime 26th, 1907, I observed on the beach of the Bjergandeso in the Stormkap 
district that the nest building was executed by the male. He was busy in 
building the nest on a low bank covered with short grass, while she paid no 
attention to his labour, but swam around the beach searching for food. The 
male shaped a nest-hollow by turning round 1ns body against the ground on 
the place selected, having first, by aid of the feet, scraped away and trampled 
down the longest and most troublesome straws. He diligently used feet and 
bill at the same time to arrange the shorter fine straws, which are carefully 
bent into the nest-hollow and form the fining of this. The nest was much smaller 
than that of Tringa alpina and contained one egg the next day. The male 
proved so far from being shy that he could be driven to Ms nest and nearly be 
caught by hand; having laid liimself upon the nest, he was still more fearless . 
“ A breeding Phalarope will fie motionless with Ms head pressed deep down 
against his back. He is almost fully covered by straws, which surround the 
nest, as he with the bill bends these over Mmself, besides, he is so similar to 
the surroundings that no human eye is able to distinguish Mm from these, 
if the spot is not known beforehand. 
“ July 9th, 1907, I again found a Phalarope’s nest by the Bjergandeso ; 
it contained four fresh eggs and was built a little differently from the two 
before-mentioned nests. These were found close to a lake on low banks 
covered with short grass, but this one was built on a tuft covered with 
long, withered grass, situated some 10 metres from the real lake, but 
suirounded by shallow water that came from a little river running out 
from the lake and irrigatmg all the tufts, one of which contained the nest. 
This bird also kept very close on the nest, and did not leave it before I parted 
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