GALL1NULA MARTIN 1C A. 
433 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 13*50; stretch, 22*00; wing, 6*70; tail, 2*50; 
bill, 1*12; tarsus, 1*75. Longest specimen, 14*00; greatest extent of wing, 23*C0; longest wing, 7 00; tail, 3*00; bill, 1 25; 
tarsus, 2*25. Shortest specimen, 13*00; smallest extent of wing, 21*00; shortest wing, 6*40; tail, 2*00; bill, 1*00; tarsus, 1*25. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eggs, from eight to ten in number, 
oval in form, creamy-buff in color, spotted and dotted with brown and umber. Dimensions from 1 *20 x 1*75 to 1*30 x 1*80. 
HABITS. 
Although the Florida Gallinules occur regularly in Massachusetts, and even breed in 
some of our larger marshes, they are not common here. In Florida, however, the species 
is remarkably abundant and deposit their eggs in May. The nests are placed on the drier 
portions of the marshes, among thick reeds or rushes, and when fhe locality is approached, 
the birds quietly leave their domiciles and disappear in the sheltering vegetation. In gen¬ 
eral habits, the Florida Gallinules somewhat resemble the Rails, spending much of their 
time among the grass and aquatic plants which border rivers and other bodies of fresh wa¬ 
ter. They will, however, occasionally emerge from these retreats and walk over the ex¬ 
posed margins of the water, wade in the shallows, or make their way over the floating 
vegetation. These birds also swum well, but when thus engaged, the head is jerked back¬ 
ward with every motion of the legs, as if the birds were walking with the body partly sub¬ 
merged. If disturbed when not in shelter, the Gallinules either dive into the water or rise, 
and fly with dangling legs, to the nearest grass, into which they drop like Rails; but un¬ 
like these birds, they can be started again quite easily. These Gallinules readily become 
tame, and a specimen, brought to me from the Everglades, by the Seminole chief, Tiger, 
and which he assured me, had been in captivity but a few days, was so unsuspicious that 
it fed from my hand. It had a long string fastened to its leg, and had become quite ac¬ 
customed to this method of confinement, for it never attempted to escape; but I had only 
kept it a few days, when it was unfortunately killed by a predatory opossum. 
GALLINULA MARTINICA. 
Purple Gallinule. 
Gallinula martinica Lath., Ind. Orn., II; 1790, 769. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch, Form, robust. Size, medium. Color. Adult. Upper part of body, brownish-green, darkest on back and 
rump. Wings and tail, brown, edged on outer webs with green. Head and under parts, bluish-purple, darkest on ab¬ 
domen and tibia, with sides and under wing coverts, greenish. Under tail coverts, white., Bill, red, tipped with yellow. 
Frontal plate, blue. Iris, brown. Legs, greenish. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Readily known by the purplish and green colors, and absence of lobatings on thetoes. Distributed, in summer, in Flor¬ 
ida. Accidental as far north as Massachusetts. Winters south of the United States. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from Florida. Length, 12 50; stretch, 20*50; wing, 6*50; tail, 3*25; bill, 1*12; 
tarsus, 2*12. Longest specimen, 13*00; greatest extentof wing, 21*00; longest wing, 7*00; tail. 3*50; bill, 1*25; tarsus, 2*25. 
Shortest specimen, 12 00; smallest extent of wing, 20*00; shortest wing, 6*00; tail, 3*00; bill, 1*00; tarsus, 2*00. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eggs, from six to ten in number, rath¬ 
er elliptical inform, creamy in color, finely and rather spar cely dotted with brown and umber. Dimensions from l*15x 1*70 
to 1*20x1*75. 
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