432 LITTLE BLACK RAIL. 



gular chuckling or metallic-like notes coming from the inaccessible bogs on the M;ig<klen 

 Islands. These peculiar sounds, I then judged, were produced by Yellow Rails but I nev- 

 er saw one of the birds on the islands. The foregoing is all that I have to record, from pvr- 

 sonal experience, of the Yellow Rails, a bird which appears to be quite rare every-where. 

 Specimens are, however, .occasionally taken throughout the Eastern Section of the United 

 States, especially in Massachusetts in autumn. 



POEZANA JAMAICENSIS. 



Little Black Kail. 

 Porzana Jdmaicensis CAS-!., Baird's, Birds; N. A.; 1858, 749. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cii. Form, slender. Size, very small. COLOR. Adult. Back and neck, dark chestnut-red. Remainder of up- 

 per surface, very dark-brown, spotted and transversely banded with white. Sides of bead and entireunder portions, bluish- 

 ash, transversely banded on abdomen and ander tail coverts with white. Iris, red; feet, brown; bill, black. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Readily known by the small size and dark colors as described. Distributed, as a rare summer resident, from Massa- 

 chusetts, southward. Winters south of the United States. 



DIMENSIONS. . 



Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 5'50; stretch, 1T50; wing, 3'25; tail, 

 T35; bill, '55; tarsus, '95. Longest specimen, 6'Otl; greatest extent of wing, 12 '00; longest wing, 3 50; tail. T50; bill, '60; 

 tarsus, 1 00. Shortest specimen, 5'00; smallest extent of wing, ll'OO; shortest wing, 3 - 00; tail, 1-25; bill, '50; tarsus, -90. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND KGGS. 



Nests, placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eyi/s, from six to eight in number, 

 oval in form, creamy in color, finely dotted and spotted with reddish-brown. Dimensions from '75 x I'OO to - 80x T05. 



HABITS. 



Although the Little Black Rail has been taken in Massachusetts on one or two occa- 

 sions, it is very rare here, as it is, in fact, every-where in our section; and I know nothing 

 of its habits from personal observation, as I never saw a living specimen. It does not, how- 

 ever, appear to differ from other Rails which live in the fresh water marshes. 



GENUS III. GALLINULA. THE GALL1NULES. 



Bill, about as long as head, not grooved nor currcd, rather thick at base, and provided with a large frontal plate. Toes, 

 margined. Keel, equal in heiyht to the width of the sternum. Marginal indentations, two and deep. 



Members of this genus have the glands of the proventriculus arranged in a zonular band, but scalloped above and be- 

 low. The sterno-trachealis is present and well developed, and there isa wide but thin bronchialis. Tympaniform mem- 

 brane, also present. Sexes, similar. There are two species within our limits. 



GALLINULA GALEATA. 



Florida Gallinule. 

 Gallinula galeata BP., Am. Orn., IV; 1832, 128. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cn. Form, slender. Size, rather large. Tongue, white in color, rather fleshy, horny at tip which is provided 

 witli cilia. 



COLOR. Adult. Ashy-blue throughout, darkest anteriorly. Middle of back and wings, rich, dark yellowish-brown. 

 Tail and middle of its under coverts, black. Outer under tail coverts, spots in a line on side, and tips of feathers on belly 

 and ahdomen, white. Tip of bill, yellow; remainder of this, frontal plate, and tibia, sealing-wax red; feet, greenish. 



Young. Similar to the adult but overwashed witli reddish above, and the feathers below are overwashed witli red- 

 dish and tipped with white. The frontal plate is not as large, and this, bill, and tibia are greenish. 



Nestlings. Are covered with a black down glossed with greenish, with a few white bristles about the throat, on side 

 nf head, and over eye. Bill, yellow, without frontal plate, and feet black. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Readily known by the nearly uniform bluish-ash C;>lor, anil ab-cm-o ol'l.)lialiugs cm the toes. Distributed, iu >UIUUUT, 

 from Massachusetts, southward. Rare as far north as Canada. Winters in the South. 



