GRUIDA—CRANES. 239 
and is of casual occurrence in other countries of Southern 
Europe. 
Habitat: Similar to that of & atra. 
Genus PORPHYRIO. 
PURPLE GALLINULE. 
Porphyrio czruleus (Vand.). 
Adult: ‘ Crown, hind neck and eztire upper parts deep rich 
6fuz ; quills on the inner web and the tail-feathers black, with 
a slight bluish tinge ; sides of the head, chin, throat and upper 
breast rich turquoise-blue, the remainder of the under parts 
blackish-blue, except the under tail-coverts, which are pure 
white ; frontal plate and bill bright sealing-wax red ; iris 
lake-red ; legs flesh-red. Total length about 18 inches ; gape 
1°7; wing 9.5; tail 4°13; tarsus 3°5; middle toe with claw 
4°8; claw t” (Dresser). 
Young: ‘Crown sooty blackish-blue, hind neck dark 
slaty-grey with a bluish tinge; upper parts of a duller blue 
than the adult, the rump slaty-blackish ; sides of head dull 
ashy-grey with a wash of blue; chin and upper throat ashy- 
white ; rest of the under parts dull bluish-slate, the feathers 
broadly tipped with ashy-grey, the centre of the abdomen 
whiter, and the under tail-coverts pure white ” (Dresser). 
Distribution: Inhabits Southern Europe and Northern 
Africa, of casual occurrence only in Central or Northern 
Europe. Ranges eastward into Persia. 
Habitat: Fresh water where there is plenty of dense vege- 
tation. 
Family GRUIDZ. 
Genus GRUS. 
COMMON CRANE. van 
Grus communis Bechst. 
Adult: Feathers of forehead and lores, hair-like, black ; 
crown naked and red; nape, chin and fore part of throat 
