THE BEAUTIFUL PORPHYRIO 



THE bald coot is, as we have seen, a rail that 

 has taken thoroughly to an aquatic Hfe. 

 The purple coot ma}- be described as a rail, 

 which, while displa\iDg hankerings after 

 a hfe on the hquid element, has not definite^ com- 

 mitted itself to the water. The porph\'rio, then, is a 

 rail which, to use a pohtical expression, is " sitting 

 on the fence." The indecision of Mr. Porph^Tio has 

 somewhat puzzled ornithologists. These seem to be 

 vmable to come to an agreement as to what to call him. 

 Jerdon dubs him a coot, Blanford a moor-hen. The 

 New Zealanders term him a swamp-hen, and their 

 name is better than that given him by either Jerdon 

 or Blanford, as denoting that the bird is neither a 

 coot nor a moor-hen. But, perhaps, the classical name 

 best suits a bird which is arrayed in purple and fine 

 linen. For the fine linen, please look under the tail, 

 at what Dr. Wallace would call the bird's recognition 

 mark, although I am sure it wiM puzzle that great 

 biologist to say what use so uniquely plumaged a bird 

 as the porph^Tio can have for a recognition mark. 

 As well might Napoleon have worn a red necktie, to 



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