236 RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS 



sprinkled with reddish brown dots, more numerous at the larger end, 1*00 x 

 80 (Nelson, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, I, 1876, 43). Date, Saybrook, Conn., 

 July 10; Garden City, Kans., June 6. 



This bird is about as difficult to observe as a field-mouse. It is said to 

 prefer grassy meadows, where it never flies when it can escape by 

 running or hiding. Apparently it is not common. Wayne describes the 

 call of the female as croo-croo-croo-o, like the beginning of the song of 

 the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. To this the male responded kik, kik, kik, kik, 

 or kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk. 



1900. ALLEN, J. A., Auk, XVII, 1-8 (historical); STONE, W., Ibid, 171 

 (nesting). 1901. BREWSTEB, W., Ibid, XVIII, 321-328 (in Mass.). 1905. 

 WAYNE, A. T., The Warbler, No. 2. 1910. Bds. So. Car., 39 (nesting), 



The CORN CRAKE (217. Crex crex), a bird of Europe and northern Asia, is 

 casual in Greenland, Bermudas and eastern North America. It is about the 

 size of a Clapper Rail, but has a bill no larger than that of the Sora. The 

 general color of the upperparts is between ochraceous-buff and cream-buff, 

 the feathers with black centers; the wing-coverts arid most of the quills are 

 pale rufous; the breast is pale ochraceous-buff; the sides are the same, barred 

 with white; the middle of the belly is white. 



218. lonornis martinicus (Linn.). PURPLE GALLINULE. Ad. Front 

 of crown with a bare, bluish plumbeous plate; rest of Ifead and underparts 

 rich dark purplish blue; under tail-coverts white; back shining olive-green; 

 wings light blue tinged with greenish ; bill carmine, tipped with pale greenish 

 (in skins, reddish orange, tipped with yellowish) ; legs yellow. Im. Upper- 

 parts more or less washed with brownish; underparts more or less mottled 

 with white; plate on the head smaller; bill without orange-red. Downy young. 

 Glossy black, head with numerous white, hairtike feathers; base of the bill 

 yellowish, end black. L., 13'00; W., 7*10; Tar., 2'40; B., from posterior 

 margin of nostril, '80. 



Range. Tropical and subtropical Am. Breeds from Tex., Tenn., and 

 S. C., s. through Mex. and the West Indies to Ecuador and Paraguay; winters 

 from Tex., La., and Fla. southward; irregularly n. in summer to Ariz., 

 Nebr., Wise., Ont., Que., N. S., and N. B.; accidental in England and 

 Bermuda. 



Long Island, two records. 



Nest, a platform of reed stalks built in rushes over the water or in grassy 

 marshes. Eggs, 4-10, buffy white, finely speckled with rufous-brown 1*60 x 

 1'15. Date, Avery's Is., La., Apl. 15; Coast S. C., May 21. 



This is a common species on ponds densely grown with yellow pond- 

 lilies (in Florida known as 'bonnets') and other aquatic plants, where it 

 may be seen walking daintily over the leaves or swimming when occasion 

 requires. It may be easily identified by its bright colors and conspicuous 

 white under tail-coverts. The latter are especially evident when the 

 bird takes wing. 



219. Gallinula galeata galeata (Licht.). FLORIDA GALLINULE. Ad. 

 Dark bluish slate-color; back and scapulars washed with olive-brown; 

 belly whitish; flanks with a few conspicuous white streaks; under tail-coverts 

 white; crown with a bare, bright-red plate; bill the same color tipped with 

 yellowish ; legs bright-red at the tibiae. Im. Similar, but underparts grayish 

 white; crown plate much smaller and with the bill brownish; no red on the 

 legs. Downy young. "Glossy black, the lowerparts sooty along the median 

 line; throat and cheeks interspersed with silvery white hairs" (Ridgw.). 

 L., 13*50; W., 7*00; Tar., 215; B., from posterior margin of nostril, *8Q. 



