THE COMMON GALLINULE. 135 



On such occasions, the constantly repeated movements of their tail are 

 rendered conspicuous by the pure white of the feathers beneath it, which, 

 along with the white stripes on the flanks, and in spring the vivid red of the 

 frontal plate, renders their general appearance quite interesting. In cases of 

 danger, they run with great speed, and easily conceal themselves. On the 

 water they sit very lightly, and swim with activity, the movements of their 

 head and neck keeping pace with those of their feet. They pick up their 

 food from either side, continually jerk their tail, and not unfrequently touch 

 the water with it. 



Although not a migratory bird, this species flies very well, whenever it 

 has occasion to rise from the ground. Its wings, although concave, are large 

 for its size, more so in fact than those of Rallus crepitans, which migrates 

 to a considerable extent. But in general, the Gallinules are averse from 

 flying, unless when anxious to remove from one lake or stream to another, 

 when they rise fifty or sixty feet in the air, and fly with ease and consider- 

 able velocity, by continued flappings, the neck and legs stretched out. At 

 all other times when raised, they suffer their legs to dangle, proceed slowly 

 to a short distance, and drop among the reeds, or, if over the water, they 

 dive and hide, leaving nothing but the bill projecting above the surface. 



The young in autumn have not attained their full size; their colours are 

 much duller than those of the old birds, particularly the stripes on the flanks 

 and under the tail, which are of a dull cream colour instead of being pure 

 white. The frontal plate is small, and almost covered by the feathers around 

 it; the legs and feet are of a dingy green, and the red band on the tibia is 

 scarcely apparent. In spring they acquire their full plumage, but the frontal 

 plate increases in size for several years. 



There are great differences as to size between birds of both sexes. The 

 male from which I drew the figure in the plate, was of an average size, 

 having been selected from a bagful procured expressly for the purpose. 



Gallinula galeata, Bonap. Amer. Orn., vol. iv. p. 128. 



Florida Gallinule, Gallinula galeata, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 223. 



Common Gallinule, Gallinula Chloropus, Aud. Orn. Biog-., vol. iii. p. 330. 



Male, 14, 22. 



From Texas to South Carolina, common, and resident. Stragglers are 

 seen as far as Massachusetts. Abundant in Louisiana and Florida. Up the 

 Mississippi to Natchez. Fresh water. 



Adult Male in spring. 



Bill shorter than the head, nearly straight, rather stout, deep, compressed, 

 tapering. Upper mandible with a soft oblong plate at the base, extending 

 over the forehead, the dorsal line beyond this plate straightish and slightly 



