THE PURPLE GALLINULE. 



^ 



,URPLE Galliniiles are found 

 in the South Atlantic and 

 Gulf States, and casually 

 _>-^ northward as far as Maine, 



New York, Wisconsin, and south 

 throughout the West Indies, Mexico, 

 Central America, and northern South 

 America to Brazil. The bird pictured 

 was caught in the streets of Galveston, 

 Texas, and presented to Mr. F. M. 

 Woodruff, of the Chicago Academy of 

 Sciences. Gallinules live in marshy 

 districts, and some of them might even 

 be called water-fowls. They usually 

 prefer sedgy lakes, large swampy 

 morasses and brooks, or ponds and 

 rivers well stocked with vegetation. 

 They are not social in disposition, but 

 show attachment to any locality of 

 which they have taken possession, 

 driving away other birds much larger 

 and stronger than themselves. They 

 are tenderly attached to their little 

 ones and show great affection for each 

 other. The nest is always built 

 among, or near the water plants of 

 which they are fond. It is about 

 eight inches thick and fifteen to 

 eighteen inches in diameter, and is 

 placed from a foot to two feet out of 

 water among the heavy rushes. The 

 Purple Gallinule is known to build as 

 many as five or six sham nests, a trait 

 which is not confined to the Wren 

 family. From four to twelve smooth 

 shelled and spotted eggs are laid, and 



the nestlings when first hatched are 

 clad in dark colored down. On leav- 

 ing the nest they, accompanied by 

 their parents, seek a more favorable 

 situation until after the moulting 

 season. Half fluttering and half run- 

 ning, they are able to make their way 

 over a floating surface of water-plants. 

 They also swim with facility, as they 

 are aquatic, having swimming mern- 

 branes on their feet, and while vege- 

 table feeders to some extent, they dive 

 for food. It is noted that some 

 Gallinules, when young, crawl on 

 bushes by wing claws. The voice 

 somewhat resembles the cackling or 

 clucking of a hen. It eats the tender 

 shoots of young corn, grass, and 

 various kinds of grain. When the 

 breeding season approaches, the mated 

 pairs generally resort to rice fields, 

 concealing themselves among the reeds 

 and rushes. Mr. Woodruff noted that 

 when the railway trains pass through 

 the over-flowed districts about Galves- 

 ton, the birds fly up along the track 

 in large multitudes. 



The Purple Gallinules are .stoutly 

 built birds, with a high and strong 

 bill, and their remarkably long toes, 

 which enable them to walk readily 

 over the water plants, are frequently 

 employed to hold the food, very much 

 in the manner of a parrot, while 

 eating. 



O, purple-breasted Gallinule 



Why should thy beauty cause thee fear ? 



Why should the huntsman seek to fool 



Thy inocence, and bring thee near 



His deadly tool of fire and lead ? 



Thou boldest high thy stately head! 



Would that the hunter might consent 



To leave thee in thy sweet content. — C. C. M. 



