Widmann — A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 61 



Subfamily Gallinulinae. Gallinules. 

 218. loNORNiSMARTiNiCA (Linn.)- Purple Gallinule. 



Fulica martinica. Gallinula porphyrio. Porphyrio martinica. 



Geog. Dist. — From northern South America, West Indies, Mex- 

 ico to South Atlantic and Gulf States, irregularly north to Middle, 

 and casually to Northern States and Canada. Winters chiefly 

 south of United States. 



In Missouri probably only an accidental visitant, having been 

 taken but twice in the vicinity of St. Louis; April 18, 1877, 

 Hurter collection; and April 22, 1877, near St. Charles in the 

 Blanke collection. (A record from Manhattan, Kan., is dated 

 April 14, 1893, and one from northern Illinois, [April 24, 

 1900.) 



*219. Gallinula GALE AT A (Licht.). Florida Gallinule. 



Crex galeata. Gallinula chloropus. Mudhen. Moorhen. Waterhen. 



Geog. Dist. — From Brazil and Chile to southern Canada and 

 central California. Breeds throughout its range and winters 

 chiefly south of the United States. 



Twenty years ago Florida Gallinules used to be numerous 

 breeders on the lakes and sloughs in the neighborhood of St. 

 Louis. Gradually they became fewer and fewer until now we 

 must class them among the rare birds. There is no record of 

 their breeding in the southeast, and the only one from the west 

 comes from Independence (Tinclall, June 1, 1904). In the bottom- 

 land from St. Louis northward there are still a few secluded spots, 

 where they can raise a brood, but with the generally established 

 drainage of their favorite waters the only places left to them will 

 be game preserves where neither drainage nor summer shooting is 

 allowed. Fortunately Gallinules have learned to come late, 

 after the first of May, when the hunting season is over and when 

 there is enough plant growth to afford hiding places. Transients 

 are seldom noticed ; those breeding north of central Missouri seem 

 to pass over or by us without stopping. The only record for a 

 fall transient is October 3, 1905, St. Louis, a young of the year 

 found alive with broken legs in the street near one of the St. Louis 

 water towers against which it had probably flown in the night. 

 Early in October, 1906, another one, now in the bird cage in 

 Forest Park, was caught in the streets of St. Louis. 



