Rail-shooting 297 



Eggs — Five to thirteen in number ; pale buff, with scattered mark- 

 ings of bright reddish brown; measure 1.80 by 1.25 inches. 



Habitat — Tropical and temperate America, from Chili and Argen- 

 tina north to the West Indies, and in North America to Massa- 

 chusetts, Vermont, New York, Ontario, Minnesota, Nebraska, 

 Texas, Arizona, and California, breeding throughout its range. 

 Occurs also rarely in Maine (possibly breeds), New Bruns- 

 wick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Colorado, and Lower California. 

 Winters from South Carolina, Illinois, Texas, Arizona, and 

 California south. Resident in Bermuda and the Galapagos 

 Islands. 



The Florida gallinule is most common in the 

 southern Gulf states, and is abundant in vari- 

 ous regions of northern South America, Cen- 

 tral America, and Mexico, along the Gulf 

 coast, ranging north into various parts of the 

 Great Lake region, and occurring sparingly in 

 New England and along the northern border of 

 the United States. It frequents the smaller 

 marshes, keeping pretty much to the grass and 

 sedge, avoiding flight if possible; and, when 

 forced to take wing, does so in rather a labori- 

 ous way, with feet hanging down, at this time 

 often uttering its harsh cry. The bird breeds 

 throughout its range in secluded fresh-water 

 marshes, constructing the nest of rushes and 

 withered plants, covering its eggs when away. 

 Both sexes share in incubation, often hatching a 

 second brood in the same nest ; the flock of eight 

 or ten keeping in places where the edges of ponds 

 afford abundant cover in the form of rushes and 



