260 Messrs. A. and E. Newton's Observations 



birds wading mid-leg in the shallow water ; and though seen for 

 the first time, one knows them at a glance to be Stilts : they are 

 quite regardless of the approach of the boat, but walk about 

 slowly, sometimes picking up insects from the surface, at others 

 dipping their bills below it, and then stopping with their heads 

 on one side, as if listening or looking intently into the water. 

 Three or four times did it happen to me thus to see this species ; 

 and I regret that the unsavoury nature of the locality, and my 

 desire to obtain specimens of this singular bird, prevented my 

 observing more of its habits." — E. N. 



The iris in this bird is very narrow, but of a fine red ; the bill 

 is black ; the legs bright red. To judge by the breast-bones of 

 the two, the American is smaller than the European Stilt {H. 

 Candidas, Bonn.). 



42. [?] American Coot. Fulica americana, Gm. ; Aud. pi. 

 339. F. atra, Wils. pi. 73. fig. 1. 



" I saw what was doubtless this bird on more than one occa- 

 sion, though I never procured a specimen." — A. N. 



43. American Water-hen. Gallinula galeata, Bp. pi. 27. 

 fig. 1, G. chloropus, Aud. pi. 244. "Water-fowl." 



Common and resident. Its note is very different from that 

 of our European species (G. chloropus, L.), which it so closely 

 resembles in appearance ; but otherwise the habits of the two 

 birds seem to be identically the same, and their eggs are not to 

 be distinguished from each other. It breeds in April. 



44. Carolina Rail. Porzana Carolina (L.) ; Edwards, B. iii. 

 pi. 144; Wils. pi. 48. fig. 1; Aud. pi. 233. 



" A female was brought to me alive April 24th, 1858, — the 

 only occurrence of the species that came to our notice." — E. N. 



45. Clapper Rail. Rallus longirostris, Bodd. (1784), PI. 

 Enl. no. 849. R. crepitans, Gmel. (1788) ; Wils. {descr., non 

 tab.)', Aud. pi. 204; Cassin in Baird's Rep. B. Pac. R. R. 

 Survey, p. 747. 



There seems to be little or no doubt (as first, we believe, sug- 

 gested by Mr. Cassin, loc. cit.) of the identity of the Rallus 

 crepitatis oi' GmeVm with the Rale a long bee of the ' Planches En- 



