320 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Gallinula chloropus chloropus (L.). Waterhen. Fr. 



Poule d'eau ; Gcr. Rohrhuhn ; Ital. Gallinella d'acqua ; Swed. 

 Rorhona. 



$ $ Above dark olive brown ; head, neck, and underparts 

 dark slaty grey with white streaks on flanks ; under tail coverts 

 white, black in ceirtre. Iris brownish red. Bill red, tip yellow. 

 Frontal shield red. Legs and feet dull green, at heel-joint a 

 yellow and red band. Wing ^ 173-179, ? 161 -167. Tarsus 

 ^ 51-52, ? 43-50. Bill from feathers at side of plate 25-28. 



Breeds. — Europe, including British Isles, from C. Norway, 60° 

 in Finland, and Petrograd in Russia south to Mediterranean and 

 its Islands ; N. Africa (Morocco to Egypt) ; also W. Asia. 

 Migratory in extreme north, but resident in Britain and Central 

 Europe. Has occurred Iceland, Faroes, Azores, Madeira, and 

 possibly Canaries. 



PORPHYRIO. 



Like "Gallinula" but bill higher; nares not in a groove; 

 colour largely blue ; frequent lakes ; nest among reeds ; eggs 

 like those of Waterhen. 



Porphyrio caeruleus (Vandelli). Purple Gallinule. 



^ 2 Purple blue, face, throat, and chest brighter ; abdomen 

 blackish blue ; under tail coverts Avhite. Iris red. Bill and 

 frontal plate dark red. Legs and feet coral red, joints of toes 

 brownish. Wing $ 260-280, $ 250-263 (H.). Tarsus 92-100. 

 Bill from feathers at side of plate 40. 



Resident. — S. Portugal, S. Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, 

 Sardinia, Sicily. Of occasional occurrence in S. France and Italy. 



Porphyrio madagascariensis (Latham). Green- 

 backed Gallinule. 



Resembles "casruleus" but greenish above, face and throat 

 much paler blue ; crown, hind neck, wing coverts, quills, and 

 underparts purplish blue. Bill and frontal shield bright red. 

 Legs and feet coral red. Wing $ $ 230-260. ^ the larger. 

 Tarsus 86-102. Bill from end of frontal shield 55-72 (H.). 



Resident. — Africa north to Sahara, and Nile Valley up to 

 Alexandria and Lake Menzaleh. Has occurred Sicily and 

 Sardinia. 



