^°^i^lO^"] Miller, The Florida GaUimde in Philadelphia Co. 183 



to be positive. Subsequently, however, I have carefully explored 

 the marsh every year, and the results of my investigations and ob- 

 servations I am now placing on record. 



The Florida Gallinule is an early breeder in the Port Richmond 

 marsh. It puts in an appearance in April, arriving generally after 

 the middle of the month, and before the vegetation of the marsh 

 has reached a height sufficient to afford them concealment. To 

 avoid destruction at this season from gunners they skulk and hide 

 in the rank, tangled mass of dead reeds. It commences nest 

 building as soon as the reeds are high enough for them to build in, 

 and the nest is seldom hidden, often being placed in thin reeds, and 

 sometimes in a solitary clump. 



The following records comprise my data upon its time of arrival 

 and the date when the first nests were discovered. 



Arrived April 21, 1905 

 April 27, 1906 

 April 28, 1907 

 April 25, 1908 

 April 16, 1909 



had 12 highly incubated eggs on May 31. 

 " 12 " " " " " 22. 



" 14 " ■' " " " 29. 



" 11 " " •' " " 27. 



" 13 " " " " '•• 22. 



Supposing the period of incubation for eggs of Gallinvla to be 21 

 days, the same as that of the common hen, and giving 15 days incu- 

 bation to all of these sets, we find that the first clutch was completed 

 on May 16, the second on the 7th, the third on the 14th, the fourth 

 on the 12th, and the fifth on the 6th. Reasoning that the eggs 

 were laid in regular sequence, for the Gallinule lays daily, we can 

 find the minimum time of the nest completion by subtracting the 

 number of eggs in a set; e. g., the first nest was completed on May 4, 

 the second on April 25, the third on May 1, the fourth on May 1, 

 and the fifth on April 24. These suppositions will serve to show 

 that the Gallinule is an early nester, taking into consideration the 

 time of its arrival, and that it loses no time in mating. It is a 

 prolific layer too, for I robbed one pair three times in 1908, just to 

 ascertain how often they would lay; on May 27, June 12, and July 

 10. I took from their nest nine, nine, and eighteen eggs, respec- 

 tively, and have no doubt but that they had another set laid before 

 August. 



This pair occupied a small part of the marsh lying between one 

 of the streets and an extension of the dump, so there can be no doubt 



