RALLID^ — THE GALLINULES — lONOENIS. 385 



Sp. Char. Adult : Head, neck, and lower parts slaty bluish purple, darker (sometimes nearly 

 black) on abdomen and tibi« ; crissuni pure white ; upper jiarts bri-ht olive-greeu, clianging to 

 briglit verditer-blue toward the purple of the lower parts, the sides and lining of wing also greenish 

 blue ; wings brighter green than back, and shaded with bright verditer-blue. Frontal shield 

 bright blue in life (greenish or olivaceous in dried skins) ; Ijill bright red, tipped with yellow ; 

 iris crimson ; legs and feet yellowish. Young: Above, light fulvous-brown, tinged witli greenish 

 on wings ; beneath, pale fulvous or buffy, the belly whitish ; frontal shield smaller than in adult, 

 dusky (in skins); bill dull yellowish. Dow7uj youncj : "Entirely black" (Audubon). Total 

 length, about 12..5() inches ; wing, 7.00-7.50 ; culnien (imduding frontal shield), 1.85-1.9.3 ; tarsus 

 2.25-2.50 ; middle toe, 2.25-2.35. ' ' 



Specimens vary remarkably in the size and form of the frontal plate. In 36785, Ceara, Brazil, 

 it is broader than long, and its posterior margin rounded : usually it is longer than l)r(>ad,'and its 

 posterior extremity an angle — sometimes acute. There is also much difference among individuals 

 in the intensity of the colors. All these variations appear, however, to l)e purely individual, or 

 perhaps partially seasonal, and entirely independent of locality. 



The Purple Gallinule is essentially a southern species, and characteristic of the 

 southern districts of the United States, where it is found at all seasons of the year. 

 It is met with from the Carolinas southward along the Southern Atlantic coast, and 

 from Florida to Mexico along the shores of the Gulf. It also occurs in the West 

 India Islands, Mexico, and Central America, and over a large extent of the northern 

 portions of South America. It is a great wanderer, or in its migrations is driven by 

 tempests to distant points, as stragglers have been found along the entire Atlantic 

 coast as far eastward as the Bay of Fundy. A few are said to breed as far north as 

 Charleston, S. C. This bird is an occasional visitant in Bermuda, as also in INIissouri, 

 Illinois, Wisconsin, and Ohio. Mr. George A. Boardman informs me that a single 

 instance of the accidental occurrence of this species ca,me under liis knowledge in the 

 vicinity of Calais, Me. The bird was found feeding on the flats near that city late in 

 the summer; and Mr. William Brewster also mentions the obtaining a fine specimen on 

 Cape Cod in April, 1870. "Sir. Giraud states that this bird is only of rare and occa- 

 sional occurrence on Long Island. A few instances are mentioned in which it has 

 been found driven out to sea in very stormy weather. In one instance an adult male 

 and female were met with three hundred miles to the south and east of the Belize. 

 These were not found together, but were met with fourteen hours apart. The first 

 alighted on the vessel. The other, in an attempt to alight, fell exhausted into the 

 sea : it was, however, rescued; and in a short time both recruited, and arrived in New 

 York in good condition. They were fed with meal, fish, bread, and various articles 

 of diet from the table. They were also furnished with water for bathing, of which 

 they made free use. They appeared to be quite contented in their confinement, and 

 for several months seemed to enjoy perfect health, when the female was suddenly 

 taken with cramps and died, the male surviving her but a few days. About the time 

 of the severe revolving southerly gale of the 30th of January, 1870, an individual of 

 this species was driven into the harbor of Halifax, and was secured. Mr. J. Matthew 

 Jones, of that city, states that this is the only individual of the species known to 

 have been taken in Nova Scotia. Mr. C. W. Wyatt met with this bird near Lake 

 Paturia, in Colombia, South America, and Mr. Leyland found it in the lagoons near 

 Peten, in Central America. Mr. E. C. Taylor states that it is abundant in suitable 

 localities in Trinidad, and that he afterward met with it in great numbers at Porto 

 P-ico. Leotaud also states that he found it very abundant in Trinidad, where it keeps 

 mostly among the rushes and reeds that cover the inundated meadows. At certain 

 parts of the day, especially in the early morning, and still more frequently in the 

 afternoon, it comes out from these hiding-places to the banks of the rivers or the bor- 



voL. I. — 49 



