146 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



there were literally thousands of them, yet I was unable to 

 start more than two or three ! Indeed, without a good 

 dog, trained for the purpose, it is impossible to secure any 

 number. They leave early for the south. 



217. Porzana noveboracensis, Cass. — Yellow Rail. 

 Very rare during the migrations. Perhaps a few breed. 

 On September 8, 1868, my young friend, Frank P. Jackson, 

 was walking with me in the dusk of evening, through a 

 squash-field, on high land, when he started up and shot a 

 specimen. There was a meadow twenty or thirty rods 

 away at the foot of the hill. It is a female, and differs 

 from any I have ever seen, having a broad white edging 

 to the secondaries ; so broad and prominent is this edging, 

 that it gave the bird the appearance of having white wings 

 while flying, in the imperfect light in which it was shot. 



218. Fulica Americana, Gm. — Coot, "Mud-Hen." 

 Summer resident. Perhaps breeds. Generally seen dur- 

 ing the migrations. Frequents the weedy edges of ponds 

 and rivers. 



219. G-allinula galeata, Bon. — Common Gallimde, 

 Florida Gallinule. Accidental. A specimen taken on the 

 Concord River marshes, in the fall of 1867, by Mr. T. 

 Dewing. " The Florida Gallinule probably breeds in the 

 Fresh Pond marshes, as I shot a young bird on October 9, 

 1868, and saw another."* 



220. G-allinula martinica, Lath. — Purple Gallinule. 

 Like the preceding. Accidental. A few specimens have 

 been taken in the State. 



ANATID.F, — The Swans, Geese, Ducks, etc. 



221. Cygnus Americanus, Sharpless. — Swan. Very 

 rare in winter, Mr. J. F. Le Baron informs me that in 



* MS. Notes of Mr. \V. Brewster. 



