Notes on the Habits of the Breeding Water Birds 77 



elapsed during which I heard or saw no gallinules in the 

 immediate vicinity of the nest which I had under observa- 

 tion. I was rapidly growing impatient, not through dimin- 

 ishing interest in the object which had caused me to re- 

 main motionless in the reeds for so long, but because of my 

 exceedingly uncomfortable position in the waist-deep water 

 and driving rainstorm. 



I was on the point of deserting my post when a loud 

 splashing in the open water near the nest announced tlie 

 close approach of a gallinule, and a moment later I saAV 

 the bird climb up the runway of broken-down reeds to the 

 nest. It remained here onh^ a minute, liowever, diving into 

 the water and disappearing, having possibly caught siglit of 

 me. The gallinules in this pond apparently were restless, 

 continually moving hurriedly from place to place even when 

 undisturbed by us, and were very noisy. Their cackling 

 notes constantly utttered gave the impression that they were 

 abundant, but it is doubtful if more than six or eiglit pairs 

 were nesting in the pond. We occasionally caught sight of 

 one as it swam across an open space of water. If suddenly 

 encountered they would either dive or spatter swiftly 

 away along the surface of the w^ater, usually choosing the 

 latter method of escape. 



The eggs that we collected present little variation, the 

 ground color being buffy, finely spotted with reddish brown. 

 They average l.TOx 1.20. 



Many eggs and young of this species are, no doubt, de- 

 stroyed by Cotton-mouthed Moccasins, which abound in this 

 pond. These ebony denizens of this bird refuge are annually 

 increasing in numbers as they have few natural enemies 

 and are seldom molested by man, as the repellant nature of 

 this rush-grown pond is sufficient to dampen the ardor of 

 anyone but the most enthusiastic bird student. I secured 

 some interesting notes on the habits of these reptiles. On 

 land they are at all times lazy and sluggish, but are ex- 

 tremely active and wary when in the water, swimming with 

 ease and great rapidity. While wading in the pond I fre- 

 quently noted huge fellows coiled about some limb close 



