HELIORNIS. o3l 
are easily recognized as those of a diving Rail. The body is plumper than in the typical 
Rallide, and the toes with their broad and scalloped webs are very different from those 
of the Rails, in which they are long and slender. eliornis, moreover, has peculiarly 
coloured toes, these being regularly barred with black and yellow. This character 
alone, combined with the Ralline bill and the Grebe-like body, serves to distinguish 
the American Fin-foot at a glance. Many other marks of distinction, chiefly osteo- 
logical, suggest an alliance with the Grebes. 
Only one species of Heliornis is known, viz. H. fulica, which is found in Central 
and South America. 
1. Heliornis fulica. 
Colymbus fulica, Bodd. Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 54 (1788) °. 
Heliornis fulica, Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 234°; P. Z.S. 1864, p. 373°; 1868, p. 4694; 1870, 
p. 838°; Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N.Y. vii. p. 302°; Richm. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xvi. p. 5807; 
Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiii. p. 233°. 
Plotus surinamensis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 581°. 
Heliornis surinamensis, Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 229". 
Brunneus, vix olivascens; tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus, uropygio et supracaudalibus paullo rufes- 
centioribus ; primariis brunneis ; rectricibus rigidis, nigris, albo terminatis; pileo et nucha nitide 
chalybeo-nigris ; linea lata superciliari alba ad latera nuche producta; loris et gutture toto pure albis ; 
regione parotica aurantiaco-rubra ad fasciam longitudinalem albam ad latera colli positam producta, 
’ inferius fascia lata chalybeo-nigra marginata ; corpore reliquo subtus sordide albo, preepectore et corporis 
lateribus brunnescentibus, crisso saturatiore brunneo; subcaudalibus nigricantibus ; subalaribus cineras- 
centibus, majoribus et axillaribus rufescenti-brunneis: rostro rubro, culmine nigro notato; mandibula 
alba, basin versus flavicante ; pedibus flavis, nigro transfasciatis ; iride grisescenti-brunnea. Long. tota 
circa 10-0, alee 5°7, caude 3-0, culm. 1-2, tarsi 0°8. (Descr. femine adulte ex Santana Mixtan. Mus. 
nostr.) 
Hab. Mexico, Rio Coatzacoalcos (Sumichrast ©); British Honpuras, Belize River 
(O. S.), Belize, Rio Makal (Blancaneaux *); Guatemata‘’, Santana Mixtan 2, 
Chiapam ° (0. S.) ; Honpuras, San Pedro (Whitely®); Nicaragua, Rio San Juan, 
Rio Escondido (Aichmond"); Costa Rica (Endres*), Rio Frio (Richmond*) ; 
Panama, Lion Hill (M‘Leannan+* §)—Corompia’; Ecuapor’; VENEZUELA ® ; 
Guiana §; Amazons ®; Brazix®, 
H. fulica appears to be locally distributed throughout Central America, and is 
apparently more plentiful in the southern part of its range. The only Mexican locality 
recorded for the species is the Coatzacoalcos River, where it was obtained by 
Sumichrast. In Guatemala Salvin found the species inhabiting the submerged 
swamps on the Pacific coast. 
Like our Moor-hen, it has the habit, when pursued, of sinking its body below the 
surface of the water with the head only exposed, but as the bird always faces the object 
in pursuit, its white breast is readily seen, even when under water’. Nothing has 
been recorded of the nest and eggs, but the young are said to be hatched naked. 
; 492,* 
