THE COMMON GALLINULE. 133 



ever been observed. They seldom ascend any of our southern streams to 

 any considerable distance, few are ever met with many miles above Natchez 

 on the Mississippi, and none are to be seen in the Western Country. 



In general they are equally diurnal and nocturnal in their habits, and 

 when undisturbed frequent the land as much as the water. In the lower 

 parts of Louisiana and the Floridas, I have seen them seek their food and 

 amuse themselves by day in the pastures and fields, and I have observed 

 both them and the Gallinules of England enacting their courtship, while the 

 sun was yet high above the horizon. In sight of man, however, they are 

 timorous, although not shy, and retreat from him among the grass and sedges 

 bordering the water, to which they resort for safety. If shot at, or other- 

 wise frightened, they run with speed, and either fly or swim off as fast as 

 possible, to elude their enemy. 



During my various temporary residences in London, I have often seen 

 the Gallinules resort to the grounds in the Regent's Park at all hours of the 

 day. They were there in a manner partially domesticated, and walked 

 quite unconcernedly in the meadows, led their young over the water, and 

 paid their addresses to each other, while fifty or more persons were amusing 

 themselves with feeding the ducks and swans over the bridge leading to the 

 inner circle, and within sight of these birds. While I was at Spring Garden 

 Springs in East Florida, in the early part of January, the Gallinules were 

 seen in great numbers on every bayou leading towards the waters of the 

 St. John, and at that early period the manifestations of their amatory pro- 

 pensity were quite remarkable. The male birds courted the females, both 

 on the land and on the water; they frequently spread out their tail like a 

 fan, and moved round each other, emitting a murmuring sound for some 

 seconds. The female would afterwards walk to the water's edge, stand in 

 the water up to her breast, and receive the caresses of the male, who imme- 

 diately after would strut on the water before her, jerking with rapidity his 

 spread tail for awhile, after which they would both resume their ordinary 

 occupations. This was in the middle of the day, when I could have counted 

 eight or ten pairs in sight. 



The nest is formed with more labour than art, being composed of a 

 quantity of withered rushes and plants, interwoven in a circular form, 

 frequently from two to three inches thick in the centre, surrounded by an 

 edge or brim four or five inches high. If not greatly disturbed, these birds 

 raise reveral broods in a season, using the same nest, and making additions 

 to it previous to depositing each new set of eggs. In Lower Louisiana I 

 found it usually five or six feet from the water, among the rankest weeds, 

 along the bayous and lakes, which are so numerous there. In some instances 

 it was placed on a prostrate trunk of a tree over the water, when the mate- 

 Vol. V. 19 



