April, 1908. Lakes Amatitlan and Atitlan — Meek. 195 



Republic that were visited. In the collection made by Mr. 

 Barber at Atitlan is one specimen. 



Family KHlliche. Rails; Coots, 



Porzana Carolina Linnaeus. Caroli.va Rail. 



Carolina Rails winter sparingly about the shores of both these 

 lakes, specimens being taken at each of them. They follow the 

 fringe of tules wherein are food and seclusion. 



Qallinule galeata Lichtenstein. Florida Gallinule. 



A single Florida Gallinule, the only one observed, was taken 

 at Amatitlan in February. It was living in a patch of tules 

 adjacent to a hot spring. 



Fulica americana Gmelin. Coot. 



Coots winter abundantly at both lakes. They procure most 

 of their food by diving, a short distance out from shore, though 

 they feed more or less in the strip of tules that fringes the water's 

 edge. They dive without difficulty, notwithstanding the fact 

 that when they come to the surface to breathe and swallow, they 

 come up as buoyantly as pieces of cork. Coots are captured by 

 the native boatmen at Atitlan in the same manner as Grebes are, 

 that is to say, — by running down, when a blow from a paddle 

 quickly ends the chase. This mode of pursuit was observed 

 frequently at Atitlan by both Dr. Meek and Mr. Barber, but at 

 Amatitlan the gun was the only weapon used against any sort of 

 water-fowl. 



Family Si*ulo|iac*i4lH*. Snipes. 



Qallinago delicata Ord. Wilson's Snipe. 



Several Wilson's Snipe were seen at Atitlan in March bv Mr. 

 Barber. 



Acititis macularius Linnaeus. Spotted Sandpipers. 



A few Spotted Sandpipers winter in this region. One was 

 seen at Amatitlan and two were secured at Atitlan. 



