BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. l6l 



rods from my house, at Ipswich, a distinct and, to me, most unusual call. I wrote it down at 

 the time as tut, tut, tut, s/ieree the last part uttered quickly and with great emphasis, the 

 tut, tut given slowly and with hesitation. This was repeated once or twice a minute. I 

 hastened to investigate, and was led by the sound, not a few steps as I at first expected, but 

 some 400 yards, to a reedy and swampy place where a spring emptied itself on the edge of the 

 salt marsh. Here the sound ceased after I attempted to invade the occupant's domain, and did 

 not recur until I had returned to my house. It was never heard after this night, and it remains 

 an "ornithological mystery," which I was convinced it was by again reading next dav the 

 article under that title by Mr. William Brewster.' Mr. Brewster, Mr. Faxon, and Mr. Spel- 

 man, to whom I described my adventure, the character of the cry, and the localitv whence it 

 came, all agreed with me that I had probably heard the "ornithological mystery," alias the 

 Black Rail. If I ever hear the bird again I have black schemes for its destruction and in that 

 way alone, certain identification. Until then it seems worthy of a place on the doubtful list. 



87 [218] Ionornis martinica (Linn.). 

 Purple Gallinule. 



Accidental visitor from the south. 



There are six records for the County : one taken at Swampscott by 

 S. Jillson, on April 22d, 1852 2 ; one 3 shot at Henry's Pond, Rockport, by 

 Robert Wendel, April 12th, 1875 ; a male in the Peabody Academy collection 

 taken at Saugus, May 10th, 1875; a specimen shot in the spring of (about) 

 1 89 1, at Byfield, the mounted specimen having been seen at the residence of 

 Mrs. W. S. Horner, of Georgetown, and reported by Mr. J. A. Farley 4 ; a spec- 

 imen in the Peabody Academy collection, taken at West Newbury, October, 

 1893, by J. W. Pray ; a bird caught by a cat at a pond in Boxford, in June, 

 1897, now in possession of Mr. A. J. Severance, of Rowley, and another 

 bird seen. 5 



88 [219] Gallinula galeata (Licht). 

 Florida Gallinule. 



Accidental visitor from the south ; possibly very rare summer resident. 

 There are six records of this bird. Three specimens are in the collection 



1 Wm. Brewster: Auk, vol. 18, p. 321, 1901. 



2 F. W. Putnam: Proc. Essex Inst., vol. i,p. 224, 1856. 

 3 G. P. Whitman : Amer. Nat., vol. 9, p. 573, 1875. 



4 J. A. Farley : Auk, vol. 18, p. 398, 1901. 



5 J. A. Farley : Auk, vol. 18, p. 190, 1901. 



