XXIII 



LIMPKIN; CRYING BIRD; COULAN; CLUCKING HEN 

 207. Ara/mus giganteus 



Having seen this queer-looking bird as it slowly 

 walks through the tough slough grass on its rickety legs, 

 one can easily understand why it is called the Limpkin. 

 Every stride is seemingly made with a labored effort 

 and lack of confidence in its powers of balancing. As it 

 worms its way through the swamp it frequently gives a 

 clucking sound like that of the domestic hen. I have 

 never heard its crying call or, if so, I have failed to recog- 

 nize it. (Fig. 32.) 



This bird is found in the swampy areas of Florida 

 and Texas, also along grassy banks of sluggish streams. 

 It is about thirty inches long and builds its nest of coarse 

 twigs in low trees or on the ground. 



The Limpkin lays from four to seven eggs, cream 

 color, marked with spots of brown. Like the Bittern it 

 hides easily and will remained " fixed," its long neck 

 and bill extended, making its detection very difficult, 

 especially if it is standing in dead brown grass. 



I have walked or rowed to within ten feet of the 

 bird before it took to flight. It is an awkward and ugly 

 thing while on the wing, with its dangling legs and slow, 

 measured wing-beats. It feeds on snails, frogs and other 

 small aquatic denizens. 



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