LlllLt. sLAi.K RAIL. ]p,p, 



giilar cliuclding or metallic-like notes coming from the inaccessible bogs on the Magdalen 

 Islands. These peculiur sounds, I then judged, were produced by Yellow Rails but I nev- 

 er saw one of the birds on the islands. The foregoing is all that I have lo record, from per- 

 sonal experience, of the Yellow Rails, a bird which appears to be quite rare every-where. 

 Specimens are, however, occasionally taken throughout the Eastern Section of the United 

 States, especially in Massachusetts iu autumn. 



PORZANA JAMAICENSIS. 

 Little Black Rail. 

 Porzana Jamakensis C.ss-;., Biiird's, Birds, N. A.; 1858, 749. 

 DKSCBIPTION. 

 Sr. Cn. Form, slender. Size, very small. Cnr.oR. Adu!/.. Back nnd ncclc, dark chcstnut-rcd. Rpmainder of up- 

 per surface, very dark-brown, .spotted and transvereely banded with wliite. Sidesofliead and entireunder portions, blui'^li- 

 asli, transversely banded on abdomen and under tail coverts witli wiiite. Iris, rod; feet, brown, bill, black. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Raadily known by the small size and dark colors as described. Distributed, as a rare summer resident, frrm M.assa- 



chasetts, .southward. Winters south of the United States. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, SSO; -strelcli, U'50; wing, 3-25; t;iil, 

 135; bill, -55; tarsas, -95. Longest specimen, 6'00; greatest extent of wing, 13 00; longest wing, 3 50; tail. 1-50; bill, "60; 

 tai-sus, 1 00. Shorte.st specimen, 5(10; smallest extent of wing, ll'OO; shortest wing, 3'00; tail, 125; bill, 50; tirsus, '.10. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND KGGS. 

 Nests, placed on the ground in ma,r.shy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eygs, from sis to eight in number, 

 oval in form, creamy in color, finely dotted and spotted with reddish-brown. DimcDsions from '75 x TOO to '80 x ro5. 



HABITS. 



Although the Little Black Rail has been taken iu Massachusetts on one or two occa- 

 sions, it is very rare here, as it is, in fact, every-where in our section; and I know nothing 

 of its habits from personal observation, as I never saw a living specimen. It does not, how- 

 ever, appear to differ from other Rails which live in the fresh water marshes. 



GENUS III. GALLINULA. THE GALLINQLES. 

 Bill, about (IS long as head, not grooved nor curved, rather thick at base, and provided with a large frontal plate. Toes, 



margined. Keel, equal in height to the width of the sternum. Marginal indentations, two and deep. 



Jlembers of this genus have the glands of the proventrieulus arranged in a zonular band, but scalloped above and be- 

 low. Tlie sterno-trachealis is present and well developed, and there is a wide but thin broncbialis. Tympaniform mem- 

 brane, also present. Sexes, similar. There are two spei-ics within our limits. 



GALLINTTLA GALEATA. 



Florida Galliuule. 



Gallinula galeala Br., Am. Orn., IV; 1832, 128. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cn. Form, slender. Size, rather large. Tongue, white in color, rather fleshy, horny at tip which Is provided 



with cilia. 



Color. Adult. -Vshy-blue througliout, darkest anteriorly. Middle of back nnd wings, rich, dark yellowish-brown. 

 Tail and middle of its under coverts, black. Outer under tail coverts, spots in a line on sid?, and tips of featliors on belly 

 uiid abdomen, white. Tip of bill, yellow; remainder of this, fr.mtal pinto, and tibia, sealing-wax rod: foot, groeninh. 



Young. Similar to the adult but overwashed with reddish above, and the feathers below iiro oTcrwiished with red- 

 dish and tipped vrith white. The frontal plate is not as large, and this, bill, and tibia are greenish. 



Nestlings. .\re covered with a black down glo.ssod with greenish, with a few white bristles about ilio tlu'oat, on silo 

 of head, and over eye. Bill, yellow, without frontal jlate, and feet black. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Readily known by the nearly uniform bluish-ash color, and absence of Kihntings on the toes, Distriliutcd, in sumraor, 

 from Massachusetts, southward. Rare as far north ?.» Canada. Winters in the South. 



