GRALLATORI/E. 399 



FuLiCA^ Lin. 



The Coots may be divided as follows, from the form of the beak 

 and the appliances of the feet. 



Gallinula, Briss. and Lath. 



Or the Water Hens. The beak very similar to that of the Ground- 

 Rail, from which these birds are distinguished, by the shield on the 

 forehead, and by very long toes, furnished with a very narrow 

 border. 



Fulica chloropus, L.; La Poule d'Eau commune, Enl. 877; 

 Frisch, 209; Naum. 29 and 38. (The Water-Hen.) A deep 

 brown above; slate-grey beneath, with some white on the thighs, 

 along the middle of the lower part of the abdomen, and on the 

 external edge of the wing. The young, Fulica fusca, Gm., Poic- 

 lette d'eau, Buff., are more lightly coloured, and have a larger 

 frontal escutcheon. (l) 



PouPHYRio, Briss. 



The beak higher in proportion to its length; very long toes, with- 

 out any very sensible border; the frontal shield large, rounded in 

 some, and square above in others. These birds stand on one foot, 

 using the other to convey their food to the beak. Their colours are 

 usually fine shades of blue, violet and aqua-marina. Such is 



Fidica jjorphyrio, L.; Poule Sidtane Ordinaire; Edw. 87, a 

 beautiful African bird, now naturalized in several islands and 

 coasts of the Mediterranean. (2) Its beauty would render it an 

 ornament to our pleasure grounds. 



Fulica, Briss. 

 The True Coots, in addition to a short beak and a large frontal 

 shield, have their toes much widened by a festooned border that 

 renders them excellent swimmers, in consequence of which their 



(1) Tlie Poule d'eau ardoisee de I'Inde, Vielll. Gal. 268, hai-dly differs from the 

 common one; the P. d'eau iacheUe, or the Grinette, F. naevia, Alb., II, 73, is only 

 a young- Ilal. crex. Add Ral. phaenicurus, Enl. 896. 



Add Gal. martinica, Gm. ; Wils. IX, pi. Ixxiii, f. 2. m. Ed. 



(2) The Ful. maculata, Jlavipes and jfistulans, originally rest on some bad 

 figures of Gesner, from drawings which had been sent to him. But the Ful. mar- 

 t inka -ixydi Jlavirostris 2iVe true llhynchsas. The martinica is m Vieill. Gal. 267. 

 Add the Taleve a manteauverd {Porpli. smaragnoius, T.), Enl. 910; the T. d man- 

 teau noir {Porph. melanotos, T. ); the T. meunier (P. pulverulentus, T. ), Col. 

 405; the T. emeraudine {P. sma7-agdinus,T.) Col. 421; the P. albus, L. Philip., 

 Voy. to Bot. Bay, p. 273; J. White, p. 238. 



