NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA 69 



140. Fitlica Americana. The Ivory-billed Coot lays from six to ei^li t or 

 more eggs, oval, pointed at one end, greyish stone color, splashed all over 

 with small bistre brown spits and dots ; the ground color, when first laid, is 

 very pale, but becomes darker by contact with the damp nest. 



139. GrALLiirr/LA g-aleata. The Scarlet-fronted or Florida Gallinule lays 

 five to eight eggs, at first clayish white, splashed sparsely with small spots of 

 sepia brown. By contact with the damp nest, the ground color of these eggs 

 often changes to different shades of drab. I have now, February, 18(54, un- 

 fledged young of this species in a pond near Spanish Town. 



210. Gallinula martinica. The Purple Gallinule, Sultana or Plantain 

 Coot, lays six to eight eggs, which are of a pale burnt sienna or yellowish 

 drab, splashed all over with small spots and dots of burnt umbre. * 



138. The Carpenter Coot is supposed to be the immature Plantain Coot; 

 but I am inclined to think that, on a more careful observation, it will be found 

 distinct ; the nestlings, so far as I have been able to examine them, are quite 

 different. 



133. Rallus elegans. The Mangrove, or Marsh Hen, is very common in 

 its usual haunt in the mangrove swamps. It is considered the highest game- 

 flavored bird in the island, and makes excellent game soup ; it builds a plat- 

 form of sticks, lined with softer mateiials, on low mangrove trees, sometimes 

 just on the surface of the water. I have never found more than two eggs in 

 any nest, but they are said to lay seven or eight ; the eggs are clear white, 

 measuring 1^ by 13-16ths. f 



Rallus ? violaceus. I have often seen this species in the ferry lagoon, but 

 never succeeded in procuring a specimen. The habits apprar to be very ?imi- 

 lar to those of the preceding. In February, 1863, Mr. Colchester obtained 

 one, a female, from the same locality. The dimensions and description given 



by the collector are, length 11| inches, expanse 15f ; bill If: middle t^e 1 -}- 

 The general plumage olive black, with olive brown wing coverts and 

 spotted all over with white ; iris red; bill pea green, orange at the b^ise ; 

 legs rosy pink ; gizzard muscular, and contained water snails with their 

 shel's. 



134. Rallus concolor, I have never found the Red Rail or Water Part- 

 ridge in the salt swamps, but always near fresh water at the foot of the hills, 

 or more commonly at the sedgy mountain ponds and streams. The eggs are 

 white, and rather smaller than those of the Mangrove Hen. 



135. Torzaxa Carolina. The common Rail is very variable in jdumngf) ; 

 it is found at all seasons and in all waters, fresh or salt. I have never met 

 with the eggs of this or either of the two next species. 



137. Porzana Jamaicensis. The Jamaica, or Little Black Rail, is also of fre- 

 quent occurrence about marshy lands, and on the savannahs and open pas- 

 tures in the vicinity of water. The cry of this species is chi chi-cro-croo-croo 

 several times repeated in sharp, high-toned notes, and heard at a considerable 



distance. 



136. Torzana minuta. This little Rail is not uncommon in the savannahs 

 and open pastures, and it has the same habits as the P. Jamaicensis ; but 1 

 have never heard it cry. The two last build in savannahs and open pasturee, 

 forming a chamber in a tussock of grass, with galleries on opposite sides. 



*(ByMr. Hill.) The brilliancy of the plumage varies with the year, (ho more or less preva- 

 lence ( f the iridescent bronze, with the cerulean and purple, heirg the variation. 



+ This can hardly be the Rallus elegans of American authors, the egg^ be.iug entirely different. - 

 S. i'. Baird. 



1861.] 



