THE COMMON GALLINULE. 403 



young might easily be mistaken for black chickens, both 

 from their appearance and from their notes. A more care- 

 ful examination of the Gallinule reveals a little white on the 

 under tail-coverts and on the edges of the wings and flanks, 

 while the greenish feet and legs are ornamented by a red 

 ring, just below the feathers of the thigh; and the toes are 

 margined by a membrane, more or less lobed, somewhat 

 after the manner of the Grebes and Phalaropes. As to food 

 and general habit, this bird is very similar to the Rails, 

 while its color, frontal plate, and lobed toes clearly differ- 

 entiate it 



A little later in the day, as I approach a long reach of 

 lily-pods surrounded by sedges, I discover a pair of 

 Gallinules on a log partially out of water. They are sta- 

 tioned one on each end of the log, with nine little black 

 chicks strung along between them; and these latter the 

 parents are busily feeding with something which they take 

 from the water. A beautiful sight is this happy family in 

 their own quiet haunts! Without any malicious purpose, 

 but simply to get nearer, I get into my boat and row rap- 

 idly toward them. As I press closely upon them the parents 

 fly for safety, and the little ones, just hatched, leave the log, 

 run for some distance on the lily-pods, then take to swim- 

 ming, and, finally, as my boat glides among them, they all 

 disappear as suddenly as young Partridges in the woods. 

 Backing out, I quit the spot as soon as possible, and retak- 

 ing my point of observation, watch the anxious parents 

 return with coaxing notes and gather together the scat- 

 tered family, which, readily responding to the call, come 

 peeping from their hiding-places in different directions. 



These birds, which swim, dive or run upon the lily-pods 

 with equal ease, are to be associated with still waters, 

 and with that queen of our ponds and lakes, the sweet- 



