138 BULLETIN 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



a coot in open water, but at any alarm taking refuge in the rushes. 

 In spite of its narrow toes it swims as readily as it wades. 



Peters 45 has written that the gallinule of the West Indies is not to 

 be distinguished from Gallinula chloropus cachinnans of the United 

 States. In this we do not agree as on comparison of an excellent 

 series we find that the gallinule of the Antilles, south at least to 

 Dominica, as well as that from the Bahamas is distinguished from 

 the North American bird by the restricted area of brown coloration 

 on the back which in most specimens does not extend far onto the 

 wings coverts. 46 



Following are measurements taken from our series from His- 

 paniola : 



Seven males, wing 166.0-178.0 (172.0), tail 62.3-75.6 (69.8), cul- 

 men from posterior margin of nostril 21.5-22.9 (22.0), tarsus 54.7- 



61.0 (57.4 47 ) mm. 



Nine females, wing 161.0-171.0 (167.0), tail 63.6-73.5 (67.7), cul- 

 men from posterior margin of nostril 19.2-21.9 (20.6), tarsus 50.1- 

 57.4 (53.8) mm. 



In size, form, and color this gallinule resembles the coots found in 

 the same waters but may be readily identified by the bright red 

 frontal shield, which is entirely without white, and in the hand, by 

 the long narrow toes without lobes. 



Subfamily Fulicinae 



FULICA AMERICANA AMERICANA Gmelin 



AMERICAN COOT, MTJDHEN, GALLARETA, GEOUDEL, POULE D'EAU, CANARD 



MARRON 



Fulica americana Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 704 (North 

 America). 



Fulica americana americana, Bond, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 

 80, 1928, p. 495 ( Port-de-Paix, specimen). 



Fulica americana grenadensis, Danforth, Auk, 1929, p. 363 (Haina). 



Migrant from North America; possibly resident in suitable lo- 

 calities. 



Eight skins, all collected in Haiti, constitute the records of this 

 species based on specimens for the island. (PL 16.) Dr. W. L. 

 Abbott collected a male at Port-de-Paix, April 14, 1917, a male at the 

 Etang Saumatre March 9, 1918, and a male at Jeremie November 23, 



45 Auk, 1927, p. 535. 



48 For a discussion of this form and its relationships see Wctmore, New York Acad. 

 Sci., Scient. Survey Porto Rico and Virgin Islands, vol. 9, 1927, pp. 344-345. 

 47 Average of six specimens. 



