322 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



same kind of situations as those described above, and is to be 

 found in the lagoons at lUawarra, and -^vherever the vege- 

 tation affords it a sufficient shelter. It soon becomes do- 

 mesticated, and may be allowed to roam at large in the 

 garden or inclosure without fear of its wandering away. My 

 friend Dr. Bennett, of Sydney, informs me that one he had 

 seen domesticated in a poultry-yard was in the habit of 

 roosting upon the roofs of sheds, and was very fond of 

 perching on some parrot-cages ; he mentions also that the 

 bird invariably seizes maize, or any vegetable it intends 

 eating, in the palm of the foot, holding it in that manner 

 until it be devoiu-ed; after watching it for some time he 

 never saw it take food in any other manner, and the owner 

 assured him that it never did. 



The sexes do not differ in colouring, but the female is 

 somewhat smaller than the male, and the young have the 

 naked space on the crown less developed and not so bright 

 as in the adult. 



Cheeks, back of the head, centre of the abdomen, and 

 thighs sooty -black ; back of the neck, breast, and flanks rich 

 deep indigo-blue ; back, wings, and tail deep shining black, 

 the primaries with a wash of indigo-blue on theii' outer webs ; 

 under tail-coverts pure white ; irides bright orange-red ; fron- 

 tal plate, bill, legs, and feet red. 



Sp. 564. PORPHYRIO BELLUS, Gould, 



Azure-breasted Porphtrio. 



Porphyrio hellus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 176. 



Swomp-Hen, Colonists of Western Australia, 



// 

 Gool-Ie-ma, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia. 



Porphyrio bellus, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. vi. pL 70. 



Of the two species of Forpliyrio found in Australia the 

 present is by far the finest, exceeding the Porphyrio melanotus 

 not only in size, but in the greater diversity and richness of 



