May, 1888.] elliott society. 205 



West American Scientist, San Diego, Cal. : Vol. IV, No. 34. 



Museo Nacional de Mexico : Anales, Tomo IV, Entr. 2. 



Physikalisch-Medicimsche Gesellschaf t, Wiirzbiu'g : Sitszimgs- 

 berichte, 1887. 



Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge : Bulletin, Vols. 

 XIV and XV. 



Boston Society of Natural History: Memoirs, Vol IV, Nos. 5 

 and 6. 



De. Manigatjlt mentioned that a few days ago a live bird had been brought 

 to Tlim by a fisherman for identification, which proved to be a Purple GaUi- 

 nule, loiwrnis MaHinicus. It was easily held, making no effort to escape, 

 and behayed as though previously domesticated. It had been captured on a 

 fishing boat at anchor off Charleston Bar, having flown there from the adja- 

 cent shore. He had known of other instances when the bii-d adapted itself vAth. 

 but little difficutly to being kept in captivity. 



Me. E. a. Smyth, Jr. remarked that in the Spring and Summer of 1887 

 Mr. Arthur T. Wayne had found the Purple Gallnule quite abundant near 

 McPhei-sonville, S. C, in the old rice field '* backwaters "', which were thickly 

 grown up with reeds. ]5klr, Wayne found the birds breeding there and secured 

 many specimens of the adult bird and a few of the young and of the egg. The 

 birds were gi-eat skulkers and hard to find in the thick swamp of reeds and 

 water, he having to wade up to his waist in order to start them, the reeds 

 being too thick for a boat to penetrate, and it was almost impo^ible to recover 

 a wounded bu'd, for which reason he lost a good many that were shot. Mr. 

 "Wayne had also noticed that the birds were possessed of spurs or horns, grow- 

 ing from the carpal joint of the wing and extending downwards parallel to and 

 in the same duection as the primary quills. These spurs were from one-half 

 to three-quartei"s of an inch in length and as sharp as needles, and were evi- 

 dently used as weapons, both offensive and defensive, as was shown by the 

 manoeuvi-es of the cock birds in the breeding season. The spur was present 

 in both sexes. The same observer has also noticed the presence of a similar 

 growth in the Florida GaUinule ( Gallinula galeata). Mr. Wayne has been 

 nnable to find mention in the works either of Audubon, Coues, Eidgeway, or 

 Bau-d, of the presence of this spur either in the Purple or Florida Gallinule, 

 and consequently concludes that he is the fii-st to record their occui-ence. Mr. 

 Smyth also said that the Horned Screamer, ( Falanudia cornuta,) a bird rela- 

 ted more or less to the Gallinules, has very noticeable spurs upon its wings, and 

 is known to use them with considerable effect in combat ; these spui-s, however, 

 extend in the opposite direction to those of the Pui-j^le Gallinule, i.e., towards 

 the front of the bird, and nearly at right angles to the line of the primaries. 



