146 
THE NATURALIST’S GUIDE. 
there were literally thousands of them, yet I was unable to 
start more than two or three ! Indeed, without a good 
dog, trained for the purpose, it is impossible to secure any 
number. They leave early for the south. 
217. Porzana noveboracensis, Cass. — Yellow Rail 
Very rare during the migrations. Perhaps a few breed. 
On September 8, 1868, my young friend, Frank P. Jackson, 
was walking with me in the dusk of evening, through a 
squash-field, on high land^ when he started up and shot a 
specimen. There was a meadow twenty or thirty rods 
away at the foot of the hill. It is a female, and differs 
from any I have ever seen, having a broad white edging 
to the secondaries ; so broad and prominent is this edging, 
that it gave the bird the appearance of having white wings 
while flying, in the imperfect light in which it was shot. 
218. Fnlica Americana, Cm. — Coot, ^‘Mud-Hen.” 
Summer resident. Perhaps breeds. Generally seen dur- 
ing the migrations. Frequents the weedy edges of ponds 
and rivers. 
219. Gallinula galeata, Bon. — Common Gallinule, 
Florida Gallinule. Accidental. A specimen taken on the 
Concord Fiver marshes, in the fall of 1867, by Mr. T. 
Dewing. The Florida Gallinule probably breeds in the 
Fresh Pond marshes, as I shot a young bird on October 9, 
1868, and saw another.”^ 
220. Gallinula martinica, Lath. — Purple Gallinule. 
Like the preceding. Accidental. A few specimens have 
been taken in the State. 
ANATIDiF, — The Swans, Geese, Ducks, etc. 
221. Cygnus Americanus, Sharpless. — Swan. Very 
rare in winter, Mr. J. F. Le Baron informs me that in 
^ MS. Notes of Mr. W. Brewster. 
