RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. I45 



general color of the upper parts is between ochraceous-buff and cream -buff, 

 the feathers with black centers ; the wing- coverts and most of the quills are 

 pale rufous; the breast is pale ochraceous-buff; the sides are the same, barred 

 with white; the middle of the belly is white. 



218. lonornis mart inica»(Z«'«7i.) . Purple Gallinule. Ad. — Front 

 of the crown with a bare bluish plumbeous plate ; rest of the head and under 

 parts rich dark purplish blue; under tail-coverts white; back shining olive- 

 green; wings light blue, tinged with greenish ; bill carmine, tipped with pale 

 greenish (in skins, reddish orange, tipped with yellowish) ; legs yellow, /m. 

 — Upper parts more or less washed with brownish ; under parts more or less 

 mottled with white; plate on tlie head smaller; bill without orange-red. 

 Downy young. — Glossy black, head with numerous white, hairlike feathers; 

 base of the bill yellowish, end black. L., 13-00; W., 7-10; Tar., 2-40; B. 

 from posterior margin of nostril, -80. 



Range. — Tropical America ; breeds as far north as southern Illinois and 

 South Carolina, and rarely strays northward to Wisconsin and Maine; win- 

 ters from southern Florida southward. 



Long Island, A. V. 



Aes^, a platform of reed stalks built in rushes over the water or in grassy 

 marshes. Eggs.^ eight to ten, buffy white, finely speckled with rufous-brown, 

 1-GO X 1-15. 



This is a common bird in the Southern States. It winters from 

 southern Florida southward and migrates northward in April. It is 

 generally found associated with the Florida Gallinule, which it resem- 

 bles in habits, but its much brighter color is apparent at a distance. 



219. Gallinula galeata {LicM.). Florida Gallinule. (See Fig. 

 22, d.) Ad. — Dark bluish slate-color; back and scapulars washed with olive- 

 brown ; belly whitish; flanks with a few conspicuous white streaks ; under 

 tail-coverts white; crown with a bare, bright-red plate; bill the same color 

 tipped with yellowish ; legs greenish, reddish at the tibiie. /»i.— Similar, but 

 under parts grayish white; crown plate much smaller and with the bill 

 brownish ; no red on the legs. Doivny young. — " Glossy black, the lower 

 parts sooty along the median line; throat and cheeks interspersed with sil- 

 very white hairs" (Ridgw.). L., 13-50; W., 7*00; Tar., 2-15; B. from poste- 

 rior margin of nostril, *80. 



Range. — Temperate and tropical America ; breeds locally as far north as 

 Minnesota and southern Maine ; winters from the Gulf States southward. 



Washington, rare T. V., Apl.; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, uncommon 

 T. v.. May ; Sept. and Oct. Sing Sing, rare S. R., June 5 to Nov. 5. Cam- 

 bridge, uncommon S. R., May 10 to Oct. 1. 



A e.s^, of rushes on a bed of rushes or similar slight elevation in marshes, 

 lagoons, or swampy lake sides. Eggs, eight to thirteen, buffy white or ochra- 

 ceous-buff, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1*80 x 1-25. 



There is something about the appearance and habits of Gallinules 

 which always suggests to me the thought that they arc chickens who 



n 



