3a2 COMMON GALLINULE. 



black down, swim beautifully, jerking their heads forward at each move- 

 ment of their feet. They seem to grow surprisingly fast, and at the age 

 of six or seven weeks are strong, active, and perhaps as well able to elude 

 their enemies as the old birds are. Their food consists of grasses, seeds, 

 water-insects, worms, and snails, along with which they swallow a good 

 deal of sand or gravel. They walk and run over the broad leaves of water- 

 lilies, as if on land, dive if necessary, and appear at times to descend into 

 the water in search of food, although I cannot positively assert that they 

 do so. 



On more than one occasion, I have seen a flock of these young birds 

 playing on the surface of the water like Ducks, beating it with their 

 wings, and splashing it about in a curious manner, when their gam- 

 bols would attract a garfish, which at a single dart would seize one of 

 them and disappear. The rest affrighted would run as it were with in- 

 conceivable velocity on the surface of the water, make for the shore, and 

 there lie concealed and silent for a quarter of an hour or so. In the 

 streams and ponds of the Floridas, this species and some others of simi- 

 lar habits, suffer greatly from Alligators and Turtles, as well as from va- 

 rious kinds of fish, although, on account of their prolific nature, they are 

 yet abundant. 



This Gallinule seldom resorts to salt water, but at times is met with 

 on the banks of bayous in which the water is brackish. This, however, 

 happens only during winter. On land it walks somewhat like a chicken, 

 and thirty, forty, or more individuals may be seen searching for worms 

 and insects among the grass, which they also nip in the manner of the 

 domestic fowl. On such occasions, the constantly repeated movements of 

 their tail are rendered conspicuous by the pure white of the feathers be- 

 neath it, which, along with the white stripes on the flanks, and in spring 

 the vivid red of the frontal plate, renders their general appearance quite 

 interesting. In cases of danger, they run with great speed, and easily 

 conceal themselves. On the water they sit very lightly, and swim with 

 activity, the movements of their head and neck keeping pace with those 

 of their feet. They pick up their food from either side, continually jerk 

 their tail, and not unfrequently touch the water with it. 



Although not a migratory bird, this species flies very well, whenever 

 it has occasion to rise from the ground. Its wings, although concave, 

 are large for its size, more so in fact than those of Rallus crepitans, which 

 migrates to a considerable extent. But in general, the Gallinules are 



