42 CoNTRlBtTTiONS FROM THE CHARLESTON MuSEUM. 



I found a nest with six eggs on May 21, 1904, in a clump 

 of thorny vines in a reservoir, three feet from the water, which 

 is a very unusual nesting site. The eggs of this species as well as 

 those of the preceding are always in different stages of incuba- 

 tion, and consequently young are hatched and take to the water, 

 while eggs still remain in the nest. Hence some of the young 

 from one nest are from one week to twelve days older than the 

 others. 



I have never observed this species in winter, but Dr. Murphey 

 saw at least twenty on the Ashepoo River, above Ashepoo 

 Station, on December 30 and 31, 1904, and three specimens were 

 obtained. This species is therefore a permanent resident. 



88. Fulica americana Gmel, Coot. 



The local name of this bird is ' ' Blue Peter. " It is very abund- 

 ant on the rice plantations and also on some of the freshwater 

 rivers from November until the last of April, ^ but it is very rarely 

 seen on or near salt water on this coast; in fact the only speci- 

 mens I have ever seen on the salt water were on March 11, 1899, 

 November 2 and 9, 1907. 



Audubon states in Birds of America: ^ 



At Charleston it was supposed that it breeds in the neighborhood of that city; 

 but my friend Bachman while searching for their nests at the proper season, saw 

 that the Common Gallinule was in fact the bird that had been taken for the Coot. 



Dr. Bachman's statement has been verified, as the Coot does 

 not breed here. 



ORDER LIMICOL^: SHORE BIRDS. 



FAMILY PHALAROPODID^: PHALAROPES. 



89. Phalaropus fulicarius (Linn.). Red Phalarope. 



I have never seen this fine species alive, and the only record 

 I have for the coast is an adult male in fine winter plumage that 

 was captured in an exhausted and emaciated condition, by Mr. 

 W. D. Hamlin on December 4, 1900, near Mount Pleasant.^ This 

 specimen is now in my collection. 



Mr. Gerald H. Thayer records in the Auk,* the following: 



1 This species was reported at Otranto, June 6, 1909, by Mr. F. M. Weston, Jr., and 

 July 7 and in August, 1909, by Mr. H. R. Sass, tending to establish it as a permanent 

 resident. Mr. Wayne, however, suggests that the birds seen were young Florida Gal- 

 linules, whose whitish bills led them to be mistaken for Coots. — Ed. 



« V, 140. 3 See Auk, XVIII. 1901, 271. * XIX, 1902, 286 



