256 UULLETIN 135, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



least several pairs in close proximity. No bird was seei) on the nest Init three 

 were flushed at difl'erent places as we approached the clumps of saw grass where 

 we presentlj' located nests. In one instance we had puslied our boat through a 

 narrow deep channel by the side of great bunches of saw grass 10 to 12 feet in 

 height and a limpkin flew with raucous calls from 15 to 20 yards back in the 

 pond. Passing that way later we discovered the nest directly alongside of the 

 channel and so near we could reach into it from the boat. This nest was nearer 

 the water than any other we saw and was scarcelj^ a platform-built structure 

 but placed low down among the stems of the saw grass about a foot from the 

 surface of the water. 



Frederic H. Konnard has sent me the following notes on a nest he 

 found, near the north shore of Lake Okeechobee, on April 4, 1914, in 

 an unusual location : 



While coming out of a creek called Limpkin Creek, Tom spied what looked 

 like a nest, about 15 feet up, among some vines in a myrtle tree beside the stream. 

 I thought it was no nest until I could see the tail of a bird protruding from the 

 edge of the possible nest. We returned to the place and flushed a limpkin cry- 

 ing from the nest. I climbed to the nest and found it a frail structure of fresh 

 twigs, containing one fresh egg. The female was flying about, crying and perch- 

 ing on neighboring bushes and trees, and evidently in great distress of mind. 

 The nest was about 15 feet or more from the ground, placed in a thick clump of 

 what looked like matrimony vine (I don't know that matrimony vine grows in 

 Florida) in the crotch of a black gum sapling that was growing right up through 

 the myrtle tree, all of which grew at the very top of a high bank bordering the 

 creek. The vines were so thick and the nest so thin that it made no showing at 

 all, and only the bird's tail revealed it. 



Oscar E. Baynard, who has prol)al)ly had more experience with the 

 nesting habits of the limpkin than any other living collector, made 

 two unsuccessful attempts to show me an occupied nest of this spe- 

 cies in Florida, in the spring of 1925. On March 30 we explored 

 some 8 miles of the Wekiva River in Orange County. It is a beau- 

 tiful river of clear spring water, winding its picturesque course through 

 a splendid swampy forest of large cypress, maples, water oaks, hick- 

 ories, ashes, magnolias, and a few cabbage palmettos and pines; the 

 banks are lined with dense shrubbery and are overgrown with tan- 

 gles of morning glories, cat briars and poison ivy; and the stream is 

 partially choked with water hyacinths, "bonnets, " and "lettuce." 

 He pointed out several ideal nesting sites for limpkins, but we saw 

 only one bird and found no nests. 



On April 10 we explored the Weekiwachee Riv(^r, in Hernando 

 County, a similar river, but not so heavily forested and bordered in 

 places with open saw-grass marshes. Here we saw only three birds 

 and found two or three old nests. One of these was placed on an 

 old stump and the others were on low bushes, in dense tangles of 

 morning glory vines; large quantities of Spanish moss had been used 

 in building the nests, which were close to the bank of the stream or 

 on a httle islet in it. 



