WATER BIRDS. 



163 



Fig. 45. Nest of Florida Gallinule. 

 From photograph by Thomas L. Hankinson. 



85. Coot. Fulica americana Gmcl. (221) 



Synonyms: Mud Hen, White-billed Mud Hen, Crow Duck, Blue Peter. — Fulica atra, 

 Wils., 1825. — Fulica americana, Gmel., 1789, and of authors generally. 



Figure 46. 



The scalloped membrane or web along the sides of the toes is distinctive, 

 but even when swimming the bird may be known from the Gallinule, its 

 nearest relative, by the milk-white bill and the white patch, apparently 

 across the wing-tip, formed by the white tips of the secondaries. 



Distribution. — North America, from Greenland and Alaska southward 

 to the West Indies and Veragua. 



An abundant bird during the migrations, on all the waters of the state, 

 and breeding in all but the southern counties, possibly in all. According to 

 Swales (Bull. Mich. Orn. Club, I, 31) it nests abundantly on Grassy Island 

 in the Detroit River, just below Detroit. It also nests in numbers at St. 

 Clair Flats, according to the same authority. Dr. Gibbs states that he has 

 never found it nesting in Kalamazoo county, although the Gallinule nests 

 there commonly. Cole and Hankinson found it nesting abundantly on 

 Chandler's Marsh, Ingham county, and it nests commonly in all suitable 

 places northward to Lake Superior. 



While it resembles the Gallinule much in all its habits, it frequents 

 more open water than that bird, swimming most of the time, and apparently 

 not attempting to run rapidly through the weeds and coarse vegetation, 

 preferring to spend most of its time where it can swim. It is quicker to 

 take wing, flies better and farther, and has a characteristic way of "patter- 

 ing" over the water when taking wing, apparently trying to run on the 

 surface while flapping vigorously, the wings themselves beating the water 



