BIRDS OF KANSAS. 143 



SUBFAMILY GALLINULINJE. GALLINULES. 

 "A frontal process, as in Fulicince; toes without lateral lobes; size large." 



GENUS GALLINULA BRISSOX. 



"Bill shorter than head, compressed, its vertical outlines convex terminally, 

 straight or slightly concave opposite the nostrils; nostril elongated, longitudi- 

 nal, slit-like; forehead covered by an extension of the horny covering of the 

 bill (rudimentary in the young). Middle toe longer than the tarsus; toes with 

 a slight lateral membrane or margin." 



Gallinula galeata (LIGHT.). 



FLORIDA GALLINULE. 

 PLATE X. 



Summer resident; rare. Arrive the last of April to first of 

 May; begin laying about the middle of May; return in October. 



B. 560. R. 579. C. 684. G. , 67. U. 219. 



HABITAT. The whole of tropical America and temperate 

 North America, north to the British Provinces. 



SP. CHAR. "Adult: Frontal plate large, obovate, truncated or slightly con- 

 vex posteriorly, flat and smooth, or tumid and corrugated; bill shorter than the 

 head, rather thick, compressed; head, neck and entire lower parts dark pJumbe- 

 ous, with a bluish cinereous cast, frequently nearly black on the head and neck, 

 and generally lighter (in autumnal and winter specimens quite white) on the 

 abdomen; crissum white, the middle feathers black; feathers of the flanks 

 widely edged with white, producing broad stripes; edge of the wing and edge of 

 outer primary white; upper parts dark russet or sepia brown, darker on the rump; 

 bill and frontal shield bright scarlet in life, the end of the former greenish yel- 

 low or bright yellow; iris brown; legs and feet yellowish green, the joints ashy 

 blue; upper part of the naked tibise scarlet. Young: Similar, but frontal shield 

 rudimentary; the bill brownish, paler at the tip; the whole lower parts suffused 

 with whitish, and the head mixed with the same, particularly the throat, which 

 is sometimes wholly white; stripes on the flanks less distinct, or nearly obsolete. 

 Downy young: Glossy black, the medial lower parts fuliginous; throat and 

 cheeks interspersed with silvery white hairs; bill yellowish (red in life?) 

 crossed about the middle by a dusky bar." 



Stretch of Frontal 



Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. shield. 



Male 14.00 22.25 6.80 3.00 2.20 1.10 .65 



Female... 13.00 21.75 6.50 2.90 2.10 1.00 .60 



The Gallinules in general habits do not differ much from the 

 Kails. This species is a common resident from the Carolinas 

 to California, and south; a summer resident north, rare in the 

 Eastern States, increasing in numbers westward into the Missis- 

 sippi valley, where they breed chiefly north of 40. 



