BIRDS OF CUBA 57 



plantations {platanales). Its favorite haunts are the shores of ponds or 

 streams where there are high thickets of cane or tall bushes, for the bird 

 is an active climber. Instead of taking flight or running over the vegetation 

 when surprised, it rushes to the nearest cover and climbs quickly to some 

 dark leafy shelter. Even when undisturbed, it spends much time perching 

 or stepping delicately from bough to bough. When wounded, this species 

 also swims and dives well. As with its fellow, it nests at almost any time, 

 and it builds similarly. Usually a tussock is doubled over for a foundation, 

 and tall grasses are left to roof over the nest. Gundlach has noted that 

 the young do not all begin to swim about at once, but one each day, 

 evidently as the eggs are hatched in succession. 



This lovely bird is always shot for the table, and for some reason 

 certainly does not seem to be able to hold its own. Nevertheless, until 

 the Zapata Swamp is drained, it will always have one great and inaccessible 

 refuge. 



79. Fulica americana Gmelin. 

 Bluepeter; Gallereta de Pico Blanco. 



They appear in numbers each autumn on the Cuban fresh-water lakes. 

 They stay but a short while, to re-appear on the return migration in April. 

 Their cheery cackling and active ways of swimming or running about and 

 chasing one another, make the birds invariably amusing and attractive to 

 watch. To one familiar with Coots as they appear in hordes in the Florida 

 lakes every winter, they offer no habits or customs in Cuba worthy of 

 special note. 



Some Coots, however, remain throughout the year, and the bird is 

 well known all through the Island as a resident breeder. This breeding 

 bird probably is Fulica caribaea Ridgway, a very well marked species. 

 Its nesting is essentially like the Gallinules'. 



80. Aramus vociferus (Latham). 

 Limpkin; Guareao. 



Limpkins are growing rare. Unfortunately they do not confine 

 themselves to frequenting the swamps and morasses difficult of access, 



