752 U. 8. P R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
List of specimens. 
Catal.| Sex. Locality. When col- | whence obtained. | Orig’1) Collected by— | Length. | Streteh | Wing. Remarks. 
No. | lected. No. | of wings. 
| | 
1729 | GB | Carlisle, Pa..... sesssees OctlD6 coe he. SUE aBairdeehacka|secsse|-cctecscececees 
17074 | NGum|ScevesdOserntaecwoeevccss Septeqs0wl844ileerdopnaverseetre||eresisn)|ease seteionctens cl 
1216 | Q | Michigan.......... ......|/ June, BAT CM: hee dome eset atl beeesel Catenteos sence 
eeeeee Jeceee | Racine, WiS.-.00. cesscces|eeseesoeseees.| N« W. University. R .Kennicott .. 
8907| oo Loup Fork of Platte.... .| July 5.1857 | Lieut. Warren....|......| Dr. Hayden.... 
8906 | Q | Upper Missouri..... aa ably 20s Sol cee Olea sssen ace : 
4176 |... Brownsville, Texas .sece.|sesecsceceens | Lieut. Couch ....|-. 
5088 |..... Delaware creek, N. Mex..| Mar. 24,1856 | Capt. Pope ...... 
6621 |......] Espia, Mexico....... ..| Mar., 1855 ....| Maj. Emory...... 
4558 |......| Culorado river, Cal. al resis elelecyeleietere [Bixceyd Olsioetacieleinn ar BE Goo easccocee 
eecceeleoes -| Fort Tejon, Cal. se. cesses |esee eens eeeees) J. XAntus de VESCY|seseee|eces cece eceeeees [seer ees: 
4557 |eooee.| San Paequal, Cal. v.scese. |. eee ceee veces | Maj. Emory...... 4 | A. Schott...... 
SOB4il eae els Great Salt Lake City ...... Mar., 1854....) Lieut. Beckwith. . Mr. Snyder... 
9982 ewes Presidio, Cal....seseeees Aug. 5,1853 ) Lieut. Trowbridge). T. A. Szabo.... 
9986 |...... Bodega, Cal....... «| Jan., 1855....}.... dO. oncrccccee ° 
9989 |e Lake Elizabeth | Lieut. Williamson|.. 
GALLINULA, Brisson. 
Gallinula, Brisson, Orn. VI, 1760, 3. Type Fulica chloropus, L. 
The gallinules are readily distinguished from the coots by the absence of the lobes of skin 
margining the toes. There isa very slight membrane, but this is scarcely appreciable in the 
dried skin. 
The purple gallinule by Burmeister is placed in another family (Parridae) from the common 
gallinule, (G. galeata,) and by Bonaparte in a different section, Porphyrioneae. They seem, 
at any rate, well entitled to generic separation, although, for our present purposes, they may 
be combined under Gallinula. The most prominent character of the purple gallinule, or Por- 
phyrula, consists in the thicker bill and nearly circular, instead of elongated or linear nostrils, 
although other distinctions might readily be adduced. 
Gallinula, Brisson. 
GALLINULA GALEATA, (Licht.) Bon. 
Florida Gallinule. 
Crex galeata, Licutr. Verz. 1823, 80, No. 826. San Paulo. 
Gallinula galeata, Bon. Am. Orn. 1V, 1832, 128; pl xxvii.—Is. List, 1838.—Nurr. Man. I], 1834, 221.—Gossz, 
Birds Jam. 1847, 381.—Cas. Journ. 1856, 428. 
Gallinula chloropus, Bonar. Syn. 1828, 336.—Avp. Orn. Biog. HI, 1835, 330; pl. 244.—Is. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 
132; pl. 304. 
Sp. Cu.—Fronta] plate large, obovate, terminating square on the top of the head; bill shorter than the head, rather thick, 
compressed ; wing rather long ; tail short ; legs moderate ; toes and claws long, robust. Head, neck, and entire under parts 
dark bluish cinereous, frequently nearly black on the head and neck, and generally lighter on the abdomen ; a few feathers on 
the flanks widely edged with white ; edge of wing at the shoulder and outer edge of first primary quill white ; shorter under tail 
coverts black, longer white. Upper parts brownish olive, darker on the rump ; quills dark brown ; tail brownish black ; frontal 
plate and bill bright red, tipped with yellow; tibia with a bright red space on the bare portion ext to the feathers; lower portion 
of tibia, tarsus, and toes yellowish green. 
Total length about 125 inches ; wing, 63; tail, 3; bill, 1} ; tarsus, 13 inches. 
Hab.—Southern countries of North America, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, South America. Accidental in middle and northern 
States. 
