m 



I 



^\ 





% : 





lii 



410 



ALECTOUIDES. 



Dr. Bryant ascertainotl positively that this .species breeds in I'lorida. 1 1 is lir.si 

 iniitrcssion was that it began to breed about ll,j 1st oi' March, but he afterwanl 

 ascertained that sonui breed much earlier than tl is. On the JIth of March a youie,' 

 liird was brought to him which was already two '.'eet in height, and \vas covered witli 

 down of a ferruginous color above and cinereoi.s below. The eyes were large aii<l 

 projecting, and the bird looked like a niiniatare ostrich. The young remain with 

 their jiarents till they arc fidly grown, and ire fed for a long tinu- by regurgitalion. 

 They (h) not Hy until they are as large as tlunr paivnts, liuL run with great speed, ami 

 hide like young partridges. A nest ftmnd l)y him on the Uth of March (contained 

 two eggs in which incid)ation had just commenced ; another found on the loth con- 

 tained two fresh eggs, anil a third on the same day had two nearly liatched. It is ;i 

 very singular feature in the history of this l)ird that it should be thus found breeding 

 in Cuba, thrimgh all the lower parts of the peninsula of Florida, and thence only seen 

 in its migrations between tiiere and the Northwestern States. 



The observations of Mr. Moore have led him to the conclusion that the migratiui.; 

 inilividuals (d' this species do not visit Florida during their southern .sojourn, as there 

 is no increase in the nundx-rs which are seen there during the winter, and no iiiove- 

 nuMits take place among them to favor this idea. Tin; Florida bii'ds are never seen 

 to soar high in the air in Hocks at any tinu' of the year, as the migiating indiviihials 

 may freipiently be seen to do iu their southern winter iiomes in iiouisiana, 'i'exas. ami 

 other States. One. or at most a pair, has been seen moving in this manner, not 

 intent on travel, liut as if to take an airing. When Hushed it runs three or four stejis, 

 and then ri.ses and soars away, but without mounting to the height of the pines. Its 

 notes are uttered on the ground in sight (d' ajiiiridiended danger. It can aligiit uii 

 trees, but does so vei'y rarely. 



Mr. .Moori' states, also, that nests of this s|)ecies are generally placed in the shalli'\\ 

 ponds with which I''lorida abounds, among aipiatic jjlants. of which they are rornnd. 

 In one instance a lai'ge mass of these plants was hea|)e(l up. constituting a ncsi. 

 which, when found. March 'J, was six nv eight inches above the water in its higiir>t 

 parts. It was about a hinidred yards from dry ground, and in the nudst of mud ami 

 water. It was within two hinidred yards of a travelled I'oad. and in full view. The 

 sitting bird had lowered her head, and so remained \intil Mr. Moori' was within sixty 

 yards, when she Hew off. and dropped down among some plants not far distant. The 

 mate soon appeared, and continued to Hy around, but did not conw near. The two 

 eggs in the nest lay with their hnigitudinal diameter in a line jjarallel with the spimd 

 cord of the bird as she sat on them, and were six in(dics ajiart. The eggs measuriMl. 

 one 3.75 by li..'>.'i. the other .">.S7 by 2..")7 inches. Other nests were placed on tli" 

 dryest ground, among the .':aw-palmettos. and formed cd' jjliable nuiterials, herbs, 

 grasses, and the like, but never with .stiff material or sticks, in one instance the 

 nest was composed of grasses plucked up liy the roots, with much sand attached. 

 The entire nest, lining and all, was thus made up. 



The young birds run as soon as they are hatched, and nuiy be seen, when not laigcr 

 than a week-old Turkey, moving about with their i)arents, with whom they renudn till 

 they are nearly a year old. Sometimes they are run down and taken before they arc 

 able to fly, the j)arents remaining at a distance, (sxpressing their anxiety by the utter- 

 ance of loud and ])eculiar notes, and by moving about, but at such tinu's never attacking 

 the enemy. 



In the stomachs of those Mr. Aloore dissected he was never able to discover any 

 animal food ; but in those of two that were killed feeding together in three inches of 

 water, he found masses composed of the roots of a snuill species of Sdyltturia. Anotiier 



i' I 



