16 THE O. & O. SEMI-ANNUAL. 
NESTING OF THE PURPLE GALLINULE. 
Tonornis Martinica. 
BY JAS. H. RACHEORD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. 
The Purple Gallinule (Jonornis martinica) is an inhabitant of the 
low sea marshes and also of the low fresh water marshes along the 
Gulf Shores of the southern states, especially of Louisiana and 
Texas. These marshes extend 
for miles and are covered with a 
luxuriant growth of rank grass 
and with “marsh cane”’ fully 
ten feet high. In such places 
entirely removed from the hab- 
itation of man, this bird builds 
its nest and rears its young. 
It selects some stream 
of water and in a_ bunch 
PURPLE GALLINULE. 
of “cut grass” growing in this stream, it builds or rather weaves its 
nest. This “cut grass” grows about four or five feet tall, has sharp, 
knife-like edges and is very strong and stiff. 
This bird will select a thick bunch of grass and will bend the tops 
down and weave them into a basket shaped nest, which is usually 
about three feet above the water: and here it deposits its eggs, from 
g to 13 In number. 
Around its true nest it will build from three to seven and eight 
sham nests which will invariably cause inexperienced hunters to pass 
on by, as they look like nests just begun but not finished, and are 
always some ten or fifteen feet away from the true nest and always 
where they can be readily seen, while the real nest is usually as 
well concealed as possible. 
Here in these wild and secluded places the Purple Gallinule rears its 
young, which when they are first hatched resemble very much young 
chickens, and are of a dull bluish-brown color. 
