SUMMER GROUP WATER BIRDS 57 



126. FLORIDA GALLINULE: RED-BILLED MUD HEN. 



Blackish. 



12-14. Bill and horny plate, from base of bill upward, 



bright red; bill, tipped with yellow ; back, brownish-olive ; 



flanks, white-barred ; rear, white. 



Breeds rarely as far north as Mass., rather rare migrant in Pa. and 

 N. J. ; nest, a hollow in a mass of dried reeds, almost floating in 

 water ; eggs, 10-14. 



127. AMERICAN COOT: WHITE-BILLED MUD HEN. 



Dark slate Lighter. 



14-16. Bill, whitish ; head, neck, and tail, blackish ; be- 

 low, grayish ; under tail-coverts, white. 



Breeds rarely in N. E., only migrant in Pa. and N. J. ; frequents 

 reedy marshes and stagnant water ; nest, sometimes on dry ground, 

 oftener built in water, like grebe's, almost floating; eggs, 12, clay-color, 

 minutely brown-dotted. 



128. SEMIPALMATED TATTLER: WILLET. 



Ashy, black-speckled White, spotted. 



16. Bill, long ; pure white area on wings ; breast, often 



tinged with brown ; entire under side, spotted or streaked ; 



blue legs. 



Breeds in salt or fresh marshes ; in Pa. only rare migrant ; locally 

 abundant, but most numerous in migration ; nest, in tussock of grass ; 

 eggs, 3-4, various ground-tints, strongly spotted ; noisy when alarmed. 



129. AMERICAN BITTERN. 



Variegation of brown, black, tawny, etc. Light tawny, 



spotted. 



23-34. Eye, yellow ; a glossy black patch on each side of 



neck ; tail, short ; legs, greenish-yellow. 



Breeds throughout, in bogs ; commonly found solitary ; nest, on 

 ground ; eggs, 3-5, brownish-drab. 



