THE PURPLE GALLINULE. 



{lonornis martinica.) 



The beautiful plumaged Purple Galli- 

 nule is a native of temperate and tropi- 

 cal America. It is a common bird in 

 the southeastern portion of the United 

 States where it frequents the sedge-bor- 

 dered lakes and water courses. It is a 

 near relative of the rails and Hke them, 

 is a shy and timid bird. While it is an 

 expert swimmer, it is much more in- 

 clined to wade. While a pair of GalH- 

 nules seem to show great affection for 

 each other, they do not care for the soci- 

 ety of their fellows and there are con- 

 stant quarrels among them. Neither will 

 they permit the presence of other birds, 

 driving away some that are much larger 

 and stronger than themselves. The Pur- 

 ple Gallinule feeds largely upon vege- 

 table food, but it will also eat snails, 

 worms and insects. "It is a vigorous 

 and active bird, bites hard when irritated, 

 runs with agility, and has the faculty of 

 holding on objects very firmly with its 

 toes, which are extremely long, and 

 spread to a great extent." When wad- 

 ing or when walking on the dry ground, 

 its steps or rather strides, with grace 

 and dignity. As it lifts its feet when 

 in locomotion, it curls its toes and tips 

 its tail with every step, as does its cou- 

 sin, the Florida Gallinule, with which it 

 is often found in the same swamp. 



As the Purple Gallinules are related 

 to the coots they are sometimes called 

 Blue Coots. Blue Mud-hen is also an 

 appropriate name, for in some of their 

 habits and in their voices they resemble 

 the domestic chickens. They cackle like 

 chickens and also utter the soft notes of 

 contentment. They are also grain eat- 

 ing birds, being fond of corn, rice, and 

 other grains. The tender shoots of 

 young corn they consider a great deli- 

 cacy. They will gather food with their 

 claws and carry it to their beaks. The 

 Gallinules run easily over the lily pads, 

 or masses of aquatic vegetation resting 



on the surface of the water, their weight 

 being partly carried by the fluttering 

 wings. While they walk with delibera- 

 tion and elegance, their flight is heavy 

 and labored. Mr. Brewer says of this 

 Gallinule: ''Ever on the lookout for 

 any danger that may menace it at the 

 least noise it takes to flight and hides 

 among the rushes. It is only when its 

 place of retreat is inaccessible that flight 

 is attempted, its movements in the air 

 being heavy and not well sustained." In 

 spite of its weak power of flight, this 

 species migrates. It winters from the 

 southern border of the United States 

 southward throughout the West Indies, 

 Mexico, Central America and in South 

 America to Brazil. It breeds as far 

 north as southern Illinois and South Car- 

 olina and casually struggles still farther 

 northward to Maine, New York and Wis- 

 consin. Mr. W. E. D. Scott, writing of 

 the "Birds of the Gulf Coast of Elorida," 

 says of the Purple Gallinule: "This is 

 one of the species that in its migrations 

 is frequently blown out to sea in the 

 Gulf and I have had several individuals 

 brought to me by men from the spong- 

 ing boats that fish from six to fifteen 

 miles ofif the mouth of the Anclote River. 

 These birds came on board during hard 

 storms, generally in March, and being 

 very much exhausted were easily cap- 

 tured. 



The nest of the Purple Gallinule con- 

 sists of a platform of reed stalks directly 

 over the water, or of grasses, bent and 

 woven together over a grassy marsh. 

 Upon this platform a rude cradle is con- 

 structed with grasses. Occasionally the 

 nest "may be moored to the stems of the 

 rushes, or to a bush, where the incom- 

 ing tide raises it, but cannot loosen its 

 anchors." Mr. Oliver Davie says that 

 besides its true nest the Purple Gallinule 

 will often make as many as five or six 

 sham nests. 



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