284 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



wing coverts olive-green; under tail coverts white; legs yellow; frontal 

 plate bluish; bill carmine tipped with yellow. Young: Duller, more 

 brownish above, and whitish below. Size the same as young of Florida 

 gallinules, but middle toe shorter than tarsus, and inner posterior surface 

 of tarsus scutellate, and nostrils oval. 



This is a species of tropical and lower austral America, wandering 

 northward to Wisconsin, Ontario and Nova Scotia. According to Giraud 

 it was extremely rare on Long Island 60 years ago, and DeKay puts it in 

 the extralimital list. Mr Nicholas Pike, however, states that it was formerly 

 plentiful on the island [see Dutcher, Auk, 10: 272]. There is a specimen 

 from Indian pond, Flatbush, L. L, in the Collection of the Long Island 

 Historical Society; and another in the State Museum, "obtained within 

 the State" by J. G. Bell. Our latest record seems to be from Middle Island, 

 L. I., summer of 1879 [Helme, O. & O., 7: 118]. 



Occasional reports of the Purple gallinule in New York which I have 

 investigated prove to refer to high plumaged specimens of the following 

 species. A reference to the plate will dispel any illusion with regard to the 

 difference between the two species. 



Gallinula galeata (Lichtenstein) 

 Florida Gallinule 



Plate 27 



Crex galeata Lichtenstein. Verz. Daubl. 1823. p. 80 

 Gallinula galeata DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 264, fig. 234 



A. O.'U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 219 



galll'nula, Lat. diminutive of gallVna, hen; galea'ta, Lat., helmeted 



Description. Forehead with a broad horny plate, or shield, reaching 

 backward and expanding from the base of the culmen; nostrils slitlike, 

 near center of bill; tarsus reticulate on its inner posterior edge, otherwise 

 scutellate; middle toe longer than tarsus. Adult: Head, neck and under 

 parts dark bluish slate color, becoming whitish on the belly ; back brownish 

 olive; wing and tail feathers dusky; lateral under tail coverts, edge of 

 wing and flank stripe white; tarsus and toes greenish; ring around tibia, 

 frontal plate and most of bill red; eyes reddish brown. Immature: Colors 

 duller; under parts whitish; bill and legs dull colored. Downy chicks: 

 Black with silvery beards. 



