238 Allen's naturalist's library. 



have rounded no-trils They are birds of tropical countries, being 

 found from the Mediterranean eastwards to India, nnd as far 

 as Australia and New Zealand. Two species, the Green-backed 

 Gallinule, P. porphyrio of Africa, and the Purple Gallinule, P. 

 cceruleus of the Mediterranean countries, have been recorded as 

 having been captured in England ; but as they are both species 

 which are often kept in captivity in this country, there is no 

 reason to believe that the specimens were otherwise than es- 

 caped birds, as neither of them are likely to migrate, or be 

 driven, from their swampy fastnesses. 



The eggs of P. porphyrio are larger than those of a Moor- 

 Hen, but otherwise resembles them. 



THE COOTS. SUB-FAMILY FULICIN^. 



These birds are like great Moor-Hens, but are distinguished 

 from them, and from the other Rails, by the scalloped lobes on 

 the toes. There is generally a white or reddish shield on the 

 forehead, and the bill, in some of the exotic species, partakes 

 of the bright colours of the shields. 



The Coots are found over nearly every part of the Old and 

 New Worlds, and are strongly represented in South America, 

 where they attain their largest size. 



I. THE COMMON COOT. FULICA ATRA. 



Fulica atra, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 257 (1766); Macgill. Brit B. 

 iv. p. 560 (1852) ; Dresser, B, Eur. vii. p. 327, pi. 504, 

 fig. 2 (1879); B. O. U. List Brit. B. p. 151 (1883); 

 Saunders, ed. Yarrell's Brit. B. iii. p. 171 (1883); Seebohm, 

 Hist. Brit. B. ii. p. 564(1884); Saunders, Man. Brit. B. 

 p. 505 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. part xxxi. (1895); 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxiii. p. 211 (1894). 



[Plate CXX.) 



Adult Male. — General colour above cindery-grey with a slight 

 olive shade on the back ; wing-coverts also cindery-grey, the 

 outer feathers of the bastard-wmg edged with white ; quills 

 ashy-brown wtth dusky tips, the first primary inclining to whity- 

 brown on the outer web : the outer secondaries whitish at the 



