RALLID^ — THE COOTS — FULICA. 395 



Hudson's Bay, nor farther north than tlie 55th parallel. In the Fur Country it was 

 always observed to arrive in the night-time. The crops of those that Avere killed 

 were found to be filled with tine sand. Captain Blakiston also mentions that he met 

 with this bird in large numbers on the reedy lakes of the Saskatchewan Valley, in 

 the prairies of which it arrives about the end of April. He noticed that it has the 

 habit of making a sharp rattling noise at night, and he was told that it migrates only 

 by night. Its eggs are collected in great numbers by the fur-traders ; and cm one 

 occasion Captain Blakiston went out on such an excursion in a canoe, and obtained 

 a hundred and fifty in a few hours — even this was considered a poor day's Avork. 

 This species was found in the neighborhood of Fort Carlton and on the Mackenzie, 

 but was not met with on Hudson's Bay. It was procured at Fort Resolution, Fort 

 Simpson, Big Island, Lake Manitoba, and in the Gens de Large Mountains. 



Mr. Boardman informs me that it is not uncommon about Calais, Me., being seen 

 in the fall and spring ; but it is not known to breed there, and its presence is pre- 

 sumed to occur only in its migrations from more northern regions. It is found in 

 Massachusetts, on the coast only as a migrant, so far as I am a^vare. It is said by 

 Mr. Allen to breed near Springfield. 



According to the observations of j\Ir. Giraud, this bird is nowhere plentiful in the 

 middle Atlantic districts. Throughout the sea-coast of New Jersey, as well as on 

 that of Long Island, it is sufficiently frequent to be known to the hunters, by whom 

 it is called the " Mud-hen." When it does occur it is usually to be seen on low wet 

 marshes and on the necks of land along the margins of creeks, which are thickly cov- 

 ered with rank grass and weeds, that afford it shelter in the intervals between the 

 tides. It is then seldom seen, and when noticed disappears so qiuckly through the 

 close cover that it is impossible to pursue it. At high-tide it sits on the drift grass, 

 or retreats to higher places on the embankment, awaiting the fall of the tide to 

 resume its opportunity of feeding on the worms, Crustacea, insects, or seeds of the 

 various plants Avhich abound on the muddy places it frequents. In its habits it is 

 sedentary, and, like the Rails and Gallinules, to which in many respects it has a 

 strong resemblance, is averse to taking wing. Except when alarmed or suspicious 

 of danger, it moves very leisurely along in pursuit of its food. When not thus em- 

 ployed its attitude is drowsy and listless. If pursued, it can run very fast and SAvim 

 and dive very Avell, and if in danger, Avith great rapidity, making use of both wings 

 and feet in swimming, like the Gallinule. It has not been ascertained to breed on 

 Long Island. 



Mr. Dresser found this bird abundant near Matamoras and Brownville during the 

 time he was in that region ; near San Antonio, late in the autumn t)f 1863, he also 

 procured several specimens of it. Mr. J. A. Allen found it common in May in East- 

 ern Kansas, Avhere it was seen in large numbers in the lagoons. Mr. Ridgway speaks 

 of it as excessively abundant and resident in all the marshes of California, as well 

 as throughout the interior. It is also mentioned by Mr. R. Browne as one of the 

 birds of Vancouver Island. Dr. Cooper states that it abounds in the marshy neighbor- 

 hood of nearly every pond and stream in California, and it is probably equally numer- 

 ous in Oregon and Washington Territory. South of San Francisco it is knoAvn only 

 as a winter visitor. Being but rarely shot at by hunters, it is remarkably tame, col- 

 lecting in flocks of hundreds in the marshes about San Francisco and other cities, as 

 well as near remote mountain-lakes, Avalking aAvkAvardly about on their shores, and 

 scarcely getting out of the Avay to escape the sportsman, Avho thinks it an unworthy 

 object of his skill, as its flesh is dark and unpalatable. The young bird, however, is 

 said to be good eating. 



