BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. l6l 



rods from my house, at Ipswich, a distinct and, to me, most unusual call. I wrote it down at 

 the time as tul, tut, tut, sheree the last part uttered quickly and with great emphasis, the 

 tuty tut given slowly and with hesitation. This was repeated once or twice a minute. I 

 hastened to investigate, and was led by the sound, not a few steps as I at first expected, but 

 some 400 yards, to a reedy and swampy place where a spring emptied itself on the edge of the 

 salt marsh. Here the sound ceased after I attempted to invade the occupant's domain, and did 

 not recur until I had returned to my house. It was never heard after this night, and it remains 

 an "ornithological mystery," which I was convinced it was by again reading next day the 

 article under that title by Mr. William Brewster.' Mr. Brewster, Mr. Faxon, and Mr. Spel- 

 man, to whom I described my adventure, the character of the cry, and the locality whence it 

 came, all agreed with me that I had probably heard the "ornithological mystery," alias the 

 Black Rail. If I ever hear the bird again I have black schemes for its destruction and in that 

 way alone, certain identification. Until then it seems worthy of a place on the doubtful list. 



87 [218] lonornis martinica (Linn.). 

 Purple Gallinule. 



Accidental visitor from the south. 



There are six records for the County : one taken at Swampscott by 

 S. Jillson, on April 22d, 1852^; one ^ shot at Henry's Pond, Rockport, by 

 Robert Wendel, April 12th, 1875 ; a male in the Peabody Academy collection 

 taken at Saugus, May loth, 1875; a specimen shot in the spring of (about) 

 1 89 1, at Byfield, the mounted specimen having been seen at the residence of 

 Mrs. W. S. Horner, of Georgetown, and reported by Mr. J. A. Farley*; a spec- 

 imen in the Peabody Academy collection, taken at West Newbury, October, 

 1893, by J. W. Pray ; a bird caught by a cat at a pond in Boxford, in June, 

 1897, now in possession of Mr. A. J. Severance, of Rowley, and another 

 bird seen.^ 



88 [219] Gallinula galeata (Licht.). 

 Florida Gallinule. 



Accidental visitor from the south ; possibly very rare summer resident. 

 There are six records of this bird. Three specimens are in the collection 



1 Wm. Brewster : Auk, vol. 18, p. 321, 1901 . 



2 F. W. Putnam: Proc. E.ssex Inst., vol. i, p. 224, 1856. 

 'G. P. Whitman ; Amer. Nat., vol. 9, p. 573, 1875. 



* J. A. Farley : Auk, vol. 18, p. 398, 1901. 

 'J. A. Farley : Auk, vol. 18, p. 190, 1901. 



