C. H. ]\l(')'ri(()ii — li/'rtfs of < 'i)iniii-tit'ii(. \ \\\ 



oaiiglit in his inoulli. l-'i-diii \vli:it I s:i\v <il" tlicir lialdls, I ;iiii cdii- 

 vinced that Xhv only sm-ci'ssful way oi" (•(.ilcctiiiu- these hir.ls is t-. 

 look for tliem witli a (loo-. Without one liiey couhl never I.e t'nice.l 

 from the ground. Yours sinctMvIy, 



(tKO. I>II;I> ( ilMN nki.i.. 



225. Porzana Jamaicensis (Omciin) Cnssin. Hiaok- HmH. 



An extremely rare siunnuT resident. Uut three speciniens nl' this 

 rare bird liave as yet been obtained in New Kiioland. The second 

 Conneetieut reeord is that givon by ]Mr. II, A. J'unlie, wlio writes: 

 "Of this species .^Ir. Clark, of Saybrook, Conn., writes nie ili.it a 

 neiold)or of his, while mowing at that place, July loth, ISTG, swung 

 his scythe over a nest of ten eggs on which the bird was sittini;, 

 unfortunately cutting off the bird's head and breaking all but four ol" 

 the eggs."* I have recently seen the eggs in question, in .Mr, Clark's 

 collection. They agree precisely with Cones' description of the eggs 

 of this bird, "being creamy-white, sprinkled all over with tine dots 

 of rich, bright reddishd)rown," and are totally unlike those of any 

 other species of Rail. The bird was not preserved, init there seems 

 to be no reasonable doubt of its identity. Mr. Purdie further states 

 that he has "lately seen a skin of this species belonging to Mr, 

 Browne, of Framingham. The bird was picked up dead, in August, 

 1869, by a relative of his, on Clark's Island, Plymouth lIar1)or 

 [Mass.], and was forwarded to him as something entirely new to our 

 shores. This instance adds a new bird to the Fauna of Massaclm- 

 setts,"* The only other recorded instance of its capture in New 

 England is that given by Dr. Thos. M. Brewer: "Ilazeiiville, Conn., 

 Batty." 



226. Gallinnla galeata (Licht.) P.onaparte. Florida Gallinulp. 



A rather common summer resident, as I am told l)y Mr. (Triiiiiell. 

 who has taken a number of specimens about Miltbrd, Conn. .Mr. W. 

 W. Coe has also taken it near Portland, Coini. 



227. Porphyrio Martinica (Linne) Tcuiminck. I'lirpU- Callimile. 



A rare accidental visitor from the South. A specimen of this 

 species was killed near Middletown, Conn., about the year 1855, and 

 is now in the Museum of Wesleyan ITniversit3\ It has been taken 

 in Massachusetts, as recorded by G. P. Whitnuin: "A fine sjiecimen 



* Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, No. vol. ii, 1, p. 22, January, 1877. 



