GALLIKULES 145 



Genus GALLINULA Brjsson. 



219. Gallinula galeata (lAchi.^. Florida Gallinule; Com- 

 mon Gallinule; Red-billed Mud-hen. 



Plumage of adults : bill and bare shield at front of crown vennillion, the 

 bill tipped with greenish yellow ; above dark blue except for brownish wash- 

 ing on back and scapulars ; below dark blue with a few white markings on 

 the flanks and white on belly and under tail coverts ; legs greenish, slightly 

 red at tibiae. Immature plumage: much grayish white color below; bill 

 brownish ; crown plate smaller ; tibiae not reddish. Downy yourtg : glossy 

 black with a sooty tinge along middle of lower parts ; skin at base of bill 

 red ; top of head bald ; many silvery white hairs on throat and cheeks. Wing 

 6.90 to 7.40 ; culmen 1.80 to end of shield ; tarsus 2.18. 



Geog. Dist. — Temperate and tropical North America, wintering from the 

 Gulf States southward to Brazil and Chili ; breeding locally as far north as 

 Minnesota and (according to Chapman) southern Maine. 



County Records. — Androscoggin; rare migrant, (Johnson) . Cumberland; 

 two immature males were taken at Falmouth, one Sept. 20, 1894, being in 

 the collection of W. H. Rich, and the other Sept. 30, 1894, being in collection 

 of Dr. Brock, (Brock, Auk 13, p. 255); one at Falmouth in the spring of 1903, 

 (Lord). Hancock; one taken at East Sullivan, May 5, 1883, by M. Uran, 

 (Everett Smith). Penobscot ; have occasionally known of specimens being 

 brought into the taxidermist shops, (Knight). Washington; several, 

 (Boardman). 



Outside of the reference in Chapman's Birds of Eastern 

 North America I have been unable to find any report of this 

 species breeding in Maine. They seem to straggle along in 

 spring and fall. The species nests in fresh water swamps. The 

 nests are usually composed of dead rushes, cat-tails, sedges, etc., 

 and are placed in tussocks and clumps of cat-tails, rushes and 

 on crushed down masses of these plants in situations usually 

 so that the birds can have quick access from the nest to the 

 water. The nest is usually a few inches above the water level, 

 but occasionally, perhaps owing to a rise in the water, floating 

 nests are found. 



Six to fourteen ochraceous buif colored eggs, which are spotted 

 with rufous brown and umber most frequently near the larger 

 end, are usually laid. These eggs are darker colored than eggs 

 of the Purple Gallinule, and the spots are larger and bolder. 

 Nine eggs from a floating nest of rushes and reeds which was 



