886 



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(loi'M dl' the wiivt'H, iiH if to (liHiiliiy tlif fxniiiMitf nmvr of its mdVcmcntH iiiul tin 

 lirillianrv <>l' its colius. Iaw im tlif luiikoiil I'ur imv <liiii^,'i'r that iiiav iiii'iiacr it, ,ii 

 till' IcaMt iiiiisi' it taiti's tn fli^'iit ami liiiji'.s aimm;,' tlif iiimIu'h. It i.s i>nly wlicii it> 

 |ila('*> of rt'ti't'at ih inacccHHililf tliat HiKlit is uttciuiitt'il, its iiiovi>iiii>iit in tli*' air iN'in^' 

 lit'iivv, titiil Hot wt'll Mii.Htaiiu'ii. Its voici- is loml ami stmiiK. '"'t lias in it mifliiii;; 

 n-niarkalili'. Worms, luolliisks, and tlic trait of various kimis of a(|ii:ilii' plants an' 

 its food. It j,Mtlit'rs si'i'ds and carrii's tlimi to its lirak willi its daws, and it aNo 

 inaki's nsi' of iIu'mi in diniJiing to tin' nislics wlicn' tlir walri' is vers df('|p. li is 

 not ofti'ii ki'|it in ia|iti\it\ . Init wlifn tluis cunlinrd cndnics its lot conti'iitrdly. It, 

 ficsli is not considi'ri'd piod. 



In ifaniaii'ii this liird is known as the "Sultana." and is said liv M;'. (iosse to \^r 

 not \inr(unnion in sonn' of tin- lowland jionds and marsliy rivers. This author stati-, 

 that oni't'. in riding,' from Savanna la .Mar to N(';,'ril, lit' saw oni' of this spfcit's walk 

 in^' in the ndddh' id' thr road. On his ajiproai'li thi' liird took no nmri' notirf of him 

 than a Common I''owl would havi- doni', hut saunti'ri'd almut, ]iii'kin^' hm' ami tin iv. 

 ami allowini; him to loiui' within thri'i- oi' four fci't. At IfUj^tli he niadi' a noisi- aii<l 

 a suihh'ii motion with ids hand ; t hi' liird onlv half opcnrd its win^ iind ^'avr a little 

 start, us !i ('hii'k«'ii would hiiv*- chini'. Init nt'itlu'r ticw nor ran. The vast morass in that 

 ni'i},dd)orliood ahonndi'd with tlu'si' birds, and their pri'siiin' in this hij,diwiiy was a 

 matter of daily oeciirrenee. Although he did not see another i|uiti' so feai'less as this 

 one, they were all very hold, eonnni,' ont from the iiishes and stndling aeross the rimd 

 in si},dit of pas,serH-lty. 



lie adds that it lias little of tlie aspect of a (Jaliiiiule, hut stands hi^dier. and h;i-- 

 its lej,'s more forward. As it walks, the iieek is alteriiiitely liriiUed up or thrown 

 forward, and its short Idaek-aiul-white tail is eluinged from a semi-erect to a iierprn- 

 dieidar position, with a tlirtinj,' motion. As tiiis hird walks over the tan;,ded leaves 

 and stems of aipiatie plants restinj^ on the surface of water, it moves with ijreaf 

 deliheratioii, freipiently standing' still and looking leisurely on either side, W leu 

 \u'.\)t in eonfineiiient it soon heconies ipiite tame, and feeds ea).;erly on the seeds d 

 the f/tifriis si)n//nnii, DV (luinea corn. It is sometimes spoken of as the •• i'lantiiin 

 Coot," from its fondness for that fi'uit, and the "Carpenter Coot," from the noise tlie 

 bird makes when it breaks the shells of wutcr-isntiils against pieces of timber, wiii( h 

 is supposed to resemble that of a carpenter at woi'k. 



On the Mississippi, aceoriling to Audubon, this species is rarely I'ound above 

 .Memiiliis. and even there it is rare; but between Natdie/ and the mouth of the rivei' 

 it is decidedly abundant. As soon as its yoiinj,' are hatdied. it retires with them 1m 

 the tall t.;rass of the savannas bonlerin^' the lakes and bayous, wliei'e it remain^ 

 until Se})tember; and at this tinu' it has a delicate whistliut;- note, rescmbliii!;- tli:il 

 of the Bhu'-winf,'ed Teal. At the ai)proaeh of winter this bird returns to the borilei> 

 of ponds and rivers, and becomes more shy and vi,i,dlant. usually moviujj; in the nijjlit- 

 time and feedin<,' by day. It breeds iit a remarkably early jieriod oi the year — ;ie- 

 eordiuj,' to Audubon, as early as February, The calls of the jiarent bird to its younu 

 are almost incessant dnrin}? the entire night, and aie elicited by any unusual noise ; 

 indeed, so intent is it on the weltare of its jjvogeny, that it will allo\,- itself to be 

 caught while thus oceuiiied. 



The nest, according to Au(lubon'.s observations, is generally placed among a species 

 of rush which is green at all seasons, round, very jiithy, rarely more than five feet 

 high, and which grows along the margins of ponds. The birds gather many of the~e 

 rushes, fa.stening them at the height of two or three feet, and iilacing the nest upcn 

 them. This is built of the finest rushes, both green and withered, and is quite as looscl v 



