Crown, nape, and sides of the breast, deep ash; sides of the neck ferruginous: legs greenish gray.

Phalaropus hyperboreus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. II. p. 709. P. Williamsii, Simm. in Linn. Trans, vol. viii. p. 264. Red Phala-rope, Mont. Orn. Diet, & Supp. Red-necked Phalarope, Sow. Brit. Misc. pi. 10. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. II. p. 149. Red Lobe-foot, Selb. Illust. vol. ii. p. 166. pl. 28.

Dimensions

Entire length seven inches three lines: length of the bill (from the forehead) ten lines and a half, (from the gape) eleven lines; of the tarsus nine lines and a quarter; of the naked part of the tibia three lines; of the tail one inch eleven lines; from the carpus to the end of the wing four inches two lines.

Description

(Adult male in spring plumage). Crown of the head, nape, sides of the breast, space between the eye and the bill, as well as a little streak behind the eye, deep ash-gray; sides and front of the neck bright ferruginous; throat, middle of the breast, and all the other under parts, pure white; flanks marked with large ash-coloured spots: back, and scapulars, deep black, the feathers with broad ferruginous edges; wing-coverts black, tipped with white, forming a transverse bar: two middle tail-feathers deep black; the lateral feathers ash-gray bordered by a narrow white band: bill black: irides brown: legs greenish gray. (Adult female). The ash-gray about the eyes tinged with reddish; the red on the front of the neck of less extent, and mixed with cinereous; the spots on the flanks larger and more numerous. (Young of the year). " Crown of the head, occiput, nape, and a spot behind the eyes, dusky brown; back, scapulars, and two middle tail-feathers, the same, but all the feathers broadly edged with pale red: primaries and wing-coverts dusky, edged and tipped with whitish; the transverse bar on the wing not so broad as in the adult: forehead, throat, front of the neck, breast, and other under parts, white, passing into pale ash on the sides of the breast and on the flanks; a faint yellowish tinge on the sides of the neck: inside of the tarsi yellow; the outer portion, and toes, yellowish green." Temm. The adult in winter is nearly similar to the young. (Egg). Olive ground, blotched and streaked all over with dark red-brown: long. diam. one inch two lines; trans, diam. ten lines.

Abundant in the Orkneys, Hebrides, and northern parts of Scotland, but very rarely met with in England. Has been shot in Yorkshire, and in Norfolk. Frequents fresh-water lakes, on the banks of which it breeds. Lays three eggs. Food, worms and insects.