Donald J. Nicholson

The Bahaman Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor vicinus) on the Florida Keys

bill of the Dade County birds should permit positive identification of the southeastern Florida birds. Though the possibility of migrants from farther north reaching Florida cannot be ignored, the observed characters and their geographical distribution, and the fact that many specimens were taken in February and March when the breeding season is well started (and a few during the summer), support the generally held view that the species is sedentary in Florida. Any identification of the pale northern migrans, as a winter visitor, must take into account the existence of the small pale south Florida birds with larger bills and longer tails. Florida specimens examined, 72, as follows.

Habits of the Limpkin in Florida

I HAD been searching for the nests of the wary Limpkin for many years but it was not until April 12, 1922 that I found my first occupied nest of this quaint bird. My companion, Fred Walker had shot a Louisiana Heron for mounting and the dead bird fell in the saw-grass close to me, startling a Limpkin which flew silently away. Thinking that this probably had a meaning I went to the spot from whence it arose and in a cluster of sawgrass found the nest imbedded in the clump with four eggs slightly incubated. The nest was composed entirely of dead saw-grass blades, deeply cupped and well concealed from view when a foot away. The site was a huge marsh miles in extent with patches of saw-grass, willows, lily pads, and grass, leading from Lake Apopka, in Lake County, Florida. The nest-clump was on the edge of open water, giving the bird a view and a chance to escape in case of danger. This is the usual position chosen. There are a few pairs of Limpkins in the big marshes around this lake but they are by no means common. Several years before I had explored the Wekiwa River which runs between Apopka and Sanford in Orange and Seminole counties and found several old nests built up in the overhanging branches of trees along the river containing egg shells which I identified as belonging to the Limpkin. Years ago the Oklawaha River was a favorite breeding ground but few are now to be found there. It was not until April 27, 1925, that I found a secluded, wild spot where Limpkins were to be found in considerable numbers. On this particular day it rained practically all day and my guide and I waded through mud and water for four hours searching for the nests. This was in the big St. Johns Marsh at the head of the St. Johns River where the Everglades begin. The marshes were many miles in extent and so similar that it was an easy matter to become confused and lost. The birds were breeding in the flags,