ALECTORIDES—RALLIDAE— FULICA AMERICANA. 469 



Porzam Carolina, Bd., BirdsN. A., 1S58, 749.— Henry, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1S59, 

 10S (New Mexico).— Bd., U. S. & Mex. Bound. Surv., ii, pt. ii, 185!), Birds, 

 25.— HAYD., Trans. Am. Phil. Soc, xii, 18G2, 175.— Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. 

 Sci. Phila., 1SC6, 98 (Colorado River).— Allen, Bui. Mus. Comp. Zool., iii, 

 1872, 183 (Eastern Kansas; Great Salt Lake Valley). — Snow, Birds Kan., 

 1872, 14.— Coues, Key N. A. Birds, 1872, 273.— Merriam, U. S. Geol. Surv. 

 Terr., 1872, 702 (Ogden, Utah). — Yarrow & Henshaw, Pep. Orn. Specs., 

 1872, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 31.— Henshaw, Pep. Orn. Specs., 1873, 

 Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 146.— Coues, Birds Northwest, 1874, 538. 



Not so common as the preceding 1 , but frequenting the same places. 

 Observed by us both in Utah and Arizona. 



FULICA AMERICANA, Gmel. 



Coot. 



Fulica americana, Gmel., Syst. Nat., i, 1788, 704. — Woodh., Sitgreave's Exp. Zuui & 

 Col. Riv., 1854, 101. — Newb, P. R. R, Rep., vi, 1857, 90.— Bd., P. R. R. 

 Rep., Beckwith's Route, x, 1857, 15.— Id., Birds N. A.. 1858, 751.— Id., 

 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 306 (Cape Saint Lucas).— Xantus, Proc. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 192 (FortTejon, Cal.).— Heerm., P. R. R. Rep., 

 x, pt. ii, 1S59, 61.— Henry, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 108 (New 

 Mexico).— Coop. & Suckl., P. R. R. Rep., xii, pt. ii, I860, 247 — Hayd., 

 Trans. Am. Phil. Soc, xii, 1802, 175. — Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 

 1866, 99 (Colorado River).— Id., ib., 1868, 84.— Snow, Birds Kan., 1872, 

 14. — Coues, Key N. A. Birds, 1872, 275. — Yarrow & Henshaw, Rep. Orn. 

 Specs., 1872, W'heeler's Exped., 1874, 31. — Henshaw, Rep. Orn. Specs., 

 1873, Wheelers Exped., 1874, 94, 146.— Allen, Proc. Bost, Soc. Nat. Hist., 

 June, 1874, 37.— Coues, Birds Northwest, 1874, 541. 



Very numerous at the Alkali Lakes, Southern Colorado. They breed 

 in colonies among the rushes, the nests often being but a few feet apart. 

 These are very bulky structures, composed of weeds and rushes raised to a 

 height of several inches from the surface of the water, so that the eggs are 

 kept perfectly dry, and are moored to the stems of the surrounding reeds. 

 The greatest number of eggs found in one nest was eleven, and most con- 

 tained from five to seven, showing that the birds were not through laying. 

 This was June 22. 



Their instincts appeared to be very social ; for not only were the nests 

 in close proximity to each other, but the birds themselves seemed to prefer 

 when off duty to feed together, and thus made up little flocks, swimming 



