WATER-HEN 181 
a greener tint than those of the adult, and the breast and 
abdomen are of a dull, buffish-white; the throat is speckled 
and the flanks are barred with dark brown. 
Nestling.—Covered with black down. 
Brak. Red, shading to brown. 
FEET. Brownish. 
IripEs. Light brownish-red. 
AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 
TARSO-METATARSUS 
IGE. ve. 
TOTAL LENGTH. Ja EG Stal 
WING ADs 
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Allied Species and Representative Forms.—Rh. indicus 
is the true Eastern representative, and R. c@rulescens is the 
South African form. 
WATER-HEN. Gallinula chloropus (Linneus). 
Coloured Figures.—Gould, ‘ Birds of Great Britain,’ vol. iv, pl. 
85; Dresser, ‘ Birds of Europe,’ vol. vii, pl. 503; Lilford, 
‘Coloured Figures,’ vol. iv, pl. 61. 
The Water-hen or Moor-hen, is a plentiful and well- 
known species, resident in almost every district of the 
British Isles where marshes and reed-grown ponds exist. In 
some districts, especially where game is plentiful and sport 
active, its wary and sneaking habits recall those of the 
Crakes and Rails. On the contrary, we find the unmolested 
Water-hen exhibiting no mean amount of confidence 
in man’s presence; swimming contentedly in the middle 
of a pond, and even landing in full view on the bank 
along which it gracefully wends its way. In captivity 
it grows so tame as almost to feed from the hand, 
and opportunity is thus afforded us of watching its 
movements closely. Unlike the Crakes, it migrates very 
little, though from lighthouses there are a few records. 
It also differs from the preceding species in that it is 
