^ Ol 'l906 ] Bkaislin, Florida Gallinule Nesting near New York. 189 



THE FLORIDA GALLINULE NESTING ON LONG 

 ISLAND, NEW YORK. 



BY WILLIAM C. BRAISLIN, M. I). 



The previously accepted status of the Florida Gallinule (Qalli- 

 nula galeata) has been that of a rare migrant in the vicinity of 

 New York City. It may, however, be properly classed as a 

 locally common summer resident. It cannot be- claimed that its 

 breeding has not heretofore been suspected. The Messrs. W. F. 

 and John Hendrickson, whose ornithological collecting has brought 

 to light a number of valuable bird records, notices of which have 

 appeared in ' The Auk', have had an unverified record of a Gallinule 

 breeding in the Long Island City marshes of several years standing. 

 This record will be referred to presently. 



The generous assistance of the Messrs. Hendrickson, first in 

 directing my attention to the unpromising region situated near 

 the center of Long Island City, and likewise their direct cooperation 

 and assistance in my investigation, have made it possible to estab- 

 lish the fact of the Gallinule's nesting here. More than two 

 years ago Mr. William Dutcher courteously directed the attention 

 of the writer to this region as one which might be profitably in- 

 vestigated; he, in turn, having received his information from the 

 Messrs. Hendrickson. 



A letter received from Mr. W. F. Hendrickson at that time, in 

 reply to my questions, contains information which led to my 

 exploration of the region. The following is a quotation from it: 

 "In regard to the Florida Gallinule nesting more or less regularly 

 in Long Island City, I beg to say that I believe that at least one 

 pair has nested in the ponds along Judson Avenue and the Long 

 Island Railroad tracks, near the Queens County Court House, for 

 seven or eight years past. I believe also that the Coot has bred 

 there. My brother and I have taken specimens of both Coot 

 and Gallinule, and some years ago my brother found a nest, which 

 contained seven or eight eggs, we believed to be that of the 

 Gallinule, but, for some reason which I have forgotten, the eggs 

 were not taken. My recollection is that I wanted to either see 

 the birds at close range or to shoot one of them as a positive means 



