236 RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS 
sprinkled with reddish brown dots, more numerous at the larger end, 1°00 x 
*80 (Nelson, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, I, 1876, 43). Date, Saybrook, Conn., 
July 10; Garden City, Kans., June 6 
This bird is about as difficult to observe as a field-mouse. It is said to 
prefer grassy meadows, where it never flies when it can escape by 
running or hiding. Apparently it is not common. Wayne describes the 
call of the female as croo-croo-croo-o, like the beginning of the song of 
the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. To this the male responded kik, kik, kik, kik, 
or kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk. 
1900. Auten, J. A., Auk, XVII, 1-8 (historical); Sronz, W., Ibid, 171 
(nesting).—1901. Brewster, W., Ibid, XVIII, 321-328 (in Mass.).—1905. 
Wayne, A. T., The Warbler, No. 2.—1910. Bds. So. Car., 39 (nesting). 
The Corn Crake (217. Crex crex), a bird of Europe and northern Asia, is 
casual in Greenland, Bermudas and eastern North America. It is about the 
size of a Clapper Rail, but has a bill no larger than that of the Sora. The 
general color of the upperparts is between ochraceous-buff and cream-buff, 
the feathers with black centers; the wing-coverts and most of the quills are 
pale rufous; the breast is pale ochraceous-buff; the sides are the same, barred 
with white; the middle of the belly is white. 
218. Ionornis martinicus (Linn.). PurpLE GALLINULE. Ad.—Front 
of crown with a bare, bluish plumbeous plate; rest of head and underparts 
rich dark purplish blue; under tail-coverts white; back shining olive-green; 
wings light blue tinged with greenish; bill carmine, tipped with pale greenish 
(in skins, reddish orange, tipped with yellowish); legs yellow. Im.—Upper- 
parts more or less washed with brownish; underparts more or less mottled 
with white; plate on the head smaller; bill without orange-red. Downy young. 
—Glossy black, head with numerous ‘white, hairlike feathers; base of tha bal 
yellowish, end black. L., 13°00; W., 7°10; Tar., 2°40; B., from posterior 
margin of nostril, ‘80. 
Range. —Tropical and subtropical Am. Breeds from Tex., Tenn., and 
S. C., s. through Mex. and the West Indies to Ecuador and Paraguay: winters 
from’ Tex., La., and Fla. oe te eged n. in summer to Ariz., 
Nebr., Wisc., Ont., Que., N. S., and N. B.; accidental in England and 
Bermuda. 
Long Island, two records. 
Nest, a platform of reed stalks built in rushes over the water or in grassy 
marshes. Eggs, 4-10, buffy white, finely speckled with rufous-brown 1°60 x 
1°15. Date, Avery’s Is., La., Apl. 15; Coast S. C., May 21 
This is a common species on ponds densely grown with yellow pond- 
lilies (in Florida known as ‘bonnets’) and other aquatic plants, where it 
may be seen walking daintily over the leaves or swimming when occasion 
requires. It may be easily identified by its bright colors and conspicuous 
white under tail-coverts. The latter are especially evident when the 
bird takes wing. 
219. Gallinula galeata galeata (Licht.). FLortpaA GaLLINULE. Ad. 
—Dark bluish slate-color; back and scapulars washed with olive-brown; 
belly whitish; flanks with a few conspicuous white streaks; under tail-coverts 
white; crown with a bare, bright-red plate; bill the same color tipped with 
yellowish; legs bright-red at the tibise. Im. —Similar, but underparts grayish 
white; crown plate much smaller and with the bill brownish; no red on the 
legs. Downy young.—‘‘Glossy black, the lowerparts sooty along the median 
line; throat and cheeks interspersed with silvery white hairs’ (Ridgw.). 
L., 13°50; W., 7°00; Tar., 2°15; B., from posterior margin of nostril, ‘80. 
