232 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



October 20th. — Visited the Pembroke Marshes in the 

 evening. Shot two couples of Snipe, the Moor Hen 

 mentioned yesterday, and one Carolina Crake. 



October 22nd. — Went over the same beat this morning 

 early, viz., from the sluice gates to Minton's. Killed three 

 Snipe and a Gallinule, different in colour from anything I 

 have before seen. Length, thirteen inches. Extent, 

 twenty -four and a -half. First quill feather one inch 

 shorter than the second, second and third equal, and 

 longest. Bill, one inch and a fourth in length, from 

 the gape. Tarsus, three inches. Span of the foot full 

 five inches. 



Bill, light olive green towards the extremity. Frontal 

 plate, and base of upper mandible, dark brownish olive. 

 Lower mandible marked on each side with a horizontal 

 red streak. Nostrils, perforate {i.e., open from side to side), 

 Irides, dull whitish. Upper surface of the head, neck, and 

 wings olive green, somewhat shaded with purple. Rump 

 and tail, dark olive brown Primaries, dusky brown on the 

 inner webs. First quill feather externally margined with 

 white. Legs, greenish yellow. Toes and nails, dull ochre 

 yellow. Under surface, chin, breast, and inner part of 

 thighs, light cinereous. Neck, olive brown. Tail coverts, 

 pure white. Under side of wings, dark grey, shaded on the 

 upper margin with light purplish-blue. Flanks same colour 

 as lower portion of the back. I think there can be little 

 doubt of this being the young of the Gallinula martinica 

 or Purple Gallinule, in its first plumage. This bird is a 

 rare visitant to Bermuda, and never remains to breed. The 

 young specimen must, therefore, have found its way to us 

 over the sea. It is the first instance of the occurrence of 

 the young that has come to my knowledge. 



