THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



11 



Breeds in the Southern States, 

 among rushes, near water. Nest simi- 

 lar to the larger rails. Eggs six to 

 ten, creamy ground, spotted with dus- 

 ky and brownish, and averaging about 

 If x 1£ inches. 



{/OS) 2/9. Gallinula galeata. 



Florida Gallinule. (579.) 



Above olive brown ; head, breast and un- 

 der parts, dark slaty blue ; lower tail coverts, 

 white, with a black zone across their base ; 

 forehead and bill red ; tip of bill yellow ; legs 

 greenish ; a patch of red on the tibia ; length 

 12 inches. 



Probably occurs as a rare summer 

 resident ; nests in grassy swamps or 

 wet marshes ; recorded as breeding in 

 Mass. ; common in the south ; nests 

 made of dried grasses or rushes ; eggs 

 eight to twelve or more, pale buffy 

 ground, spotted with different shades 

 of brown and lilac ; If x 1^ inches. 

 (/04-) 580. Fulica americana. 



American Coot. (580.) 



Body, bluish slate color, lightish beneath ; 

 head and neck black ; edge of wing and un- 

 der tail coverts white ; bill white, with a black 

 patch near its tip ; legs and feet large, green- 

 ish ; length, 14 inches. 



Probably a rare summer resident, 

 as it is found breeding both north and 

 south of our district. Frequents fresh 

 water marshes and ponds, and is not 

 to be confounded with the so-called 

 Salt-water Sea " Coots,' viz. : — Vel- 

 vet Ducks, Surf Ducks, Scoters, &c, 

 from which it is distinguishable at a 

 glance by its pointed bill and by its 

 lobed toes, instead of web feet. 



Breeds in marshes, and grassy 

 ponds, often in large communities ; 

 nest a platform of decaying marsh 

 vegetation, slightly hollowed in the 



center; eggs eight to fifteen ; whitish? 

 or clay color ground, thickly dotted 

 and specked all over with dark brown 

 and blackish, and averaging 2 x 1£ 

 inches. 



4-*~* 



Numismatics. 



The study and collection of coins 

 has an important bearing on history. 

 It has been the means of ascertaining 

 the names of forgotten countries and 

 cities, their position, their chronology, 

 the succession of their kings, their 

 usages, civil, military and religious, 

 and the style of their art. 



The metals used by the Ancients 

 were about the same kinds as are used 

 to-day : — gold silver, copper and 

 bronze — although most of the ancient 

 coins found in collections of to-day 

 are made of the latter. 



The side of a coin which bears the 

 most important device or inscription 

 is called the obverse, the other side 

 the reverse. The words or letters on 

 a coin are called its inscription ; an 

 inscription surrounding the border is 

 called the legend. 



The use of coined money cannot be 

 traced farther back than the 9th cen- 

 tury B. C. Early metallic money 

 was in the form of bars, spikes and 

 rings ; the ring money could be 

 opened, closed and linked in a chain 

 for convenience of carriage. 



The people who first used coined 

 money were the inhabitants of Asia 

 Minor ( a country noted for its gold 

 mines and fruitful soil) about 720 

 years before the christian era. Their 



