. The Canadian field-naturalist. Aprii, 19341 The Canadian Field-Naturalist 67. Nest and eggs of the Red Phalarope {Phalaropus fulicarius) on tundra plain near Bowman Bay. 29 June, 1929. The finished receptacle for the eggs measures, on the average, 2^/4 inches wide and IV2 inches deep, and is almost invariably .overhung by droop- ing s^'.ems of old grass; this affords excellent con- cealment for the nest, as well as for the sit- ting bird. So closely does the dorsal phimage pattei-n of the species resemble this partially concealing screen that the incubating bird may easily defy detection at
. The Canadian field-naturalist. Aprii, 19341 The Canadian Field-Naturalist 67. Nest and eggs of the Red Phalarope {Phalaropus fulicarius) on tundra plain near Bowman Bay. 29 June, 1929. The finished receptacle for the eggs measures, on the average, 2^/4 inches wide and IV2 inches deep, and is almost invariably .overhung by droop- ing s^'.ems of old grass; this affords excellent con- cealment for the nest, as well as for the sit- ting bird. So closely does the dorsal phimage pattei-n of the species resemble this partially concealing screen that the incubating bird may easily defy detection at a distance of a few feeit. The nests are easily found, however, owing to the bird's habit of flushing ob- trusively from the nest only when al- most trodden upon. With the assistance of his Eskimos, the writer had signa' success in locat- ing nests by arranging that the party should walk methodically over the tundra with an in- terval of a few yards between each two individ- uals. Sometimes the nest of the Red Phalarope is situated either on the crown, or on the side of a small grassy hummock, which may be en- tirely surrounded by water. So many empty, but newly constructed nests were found early in the season, many of which were subsequently as- certained never to have received eggs, that the writer came to the conclusion that this species has the habit of building many mimic nests be- fore the actual egg-laying begins. Curiously enough, the male of this species is entirely respon- sible for the incubation of the eggs and rearing of the young. In temperament he is phlegmatic and rather easy going. This is a great breeding ground of the species, probably one of the most important in existence; doubtless it extends over most of the western tundra from Bowman Bay to the limit of the plain north of the Koukdjuak River and east- ward to Nettilling Lake At Bowman Bay they nested so commonly over the lowlands for miles about Camp Kungovik and south to, and over, the b'-eeding grounds
Size: 1786px × 1399px
Photo credit: © Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorottawafieldnaturalistsclub, bookcentury1900, bookcolle
