1913 BIRDS OF THE FRESNO DISTRICT 23 



summer. I saw three cranes not far from LilHs as late as May 3, 1900. The 

 hei<T;ht at which these migrating cranes fly on clear warm days is almost in- 

 credible and the number that pass over in a single day is not less remarkable. 

 The past season (1912) showed a very early migration, many flocks of cranes 

 passing over March 17. 



Virginia Rail. Rallus virginianus Linnaeus. 



A fairly common resident of suitable areas, but not often seen on account 

 of its seclusive habits. It has been noted in the overflowed districts of the Wheat- 

 ville region, and among the grass and sedges of shallow sloughs along the San 

 Joaquin River near Riverview. On October 14, 1910, a fine male was found 

 dead in the yard of a residence within the city limits of Fresno. This specimen 

 is now in the collection of Miss Winifred Wear, of this city. 



Florida Gallinule. Gallinula galeata (Lichtenstein). 

 Florida Gallinules appear to be quite generally distributed over the valley, but 

 are nowhere as much in evidence as their near relatives, the coots. In point of 

 numbers the mud-hens have all the best of it, although the gallinules' secretive 

 habits may have something to do with the apparent scarcity of the species in 

 some localities. The local name "red-billed mud-hen" would seem to be an ap- 

 propriate one for this bird, as the red bill is a distinguishing mark as far as the 

 bird can be seen. 



November 26, 1907, two gallinules were seen on a pond near Letcher about 

 twenty-five miles northeast of Fresno. Although well up into the foothill region 

 and somewhat out of the range covered in this list, yet the record was thought 

 worthy of note in the present paper, especially since the species was subsequently 

 seen not far from the same place and may be a permanent resident there. 



April 19, 1908, a gallinule arose from a small pond at the roadside, walked 

 across the road and disappeared among the cat-tails and wire grass. This was 

 near a series of small ponds caused by the overflow of a flume and although con- 

 ditions seemed very favorable for the breeding of these birds I could find no 

 nests, and on later visits the birds wee not to be found. These ponds were 

 about seven miles east of Clovis and the same distance from the locality of the 

 first record. I had seen a single bird near the same place on the seventh of the 

 preceding March. 



May 20, 191 2, a gallinule was observed quietly swimming in a pond at the 

 edge of a dense patch of tules in one of the numerous salt grass pastures six 

 miles southwest of Fresno. 



This species is known to breed in the swampy overflowed region near Fire- 

 baugh. 



Coot. Fulica americana Gmelin. 



An abundant resident in suitable places throughout the valley. All the over- 

 flow land south of Wheatville, the swamps and sloughs along the west side, and 

 the smaller tule-bordered ponds nearer the city seem to be equally suitable. 



A local gun club that has its preserve in Merced County frequently holds 

 a ''mudhen shoot" at the opening of the duck season, and the members report 

 having killed as many as five thousand coots in a day. 



This bird sometimes strays away from water and seems to become confused 



