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FAMILYRALLINiE. 



RAILS. 



GENUS GALLINULA — BRISS. 

 GALLINULE. 



[Bill about the length of the head, higher than wide, compressed, straight — ■ 

 tapering, the base spreading into a naked membrane covering the forehead ; head 

 small — neck of moderate length — body full — wings broad, of moderate length — 

 tail very short, rounded ; toes four, hind toe bearing on the ground ; anterior 

 toes long, divided to their origin.] 



GALLINULA CHLOROPUS— LINN. 



COMMON GALLINULE. 



Gallinula galeata, Bonap. Amer. Orn. 



Florida Galiinule, Gallinula galeata, Nult. Man. 



Common Galiinule, Gallinula chloropus, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Frontal plate, bill, (except toward the point,) 

 and a ring round the tibia, carmine ; a few broad streaks on the 

 sides of the body, and most of the under tail coverts white. Adult 

 with the frontal plate and bill carmine, the latter tipped with yel- 

 low ; head and neck all round purplish-blue ; breast and sides of 

 the body dark grayish-blue, the feathers of the latter marked with 

 white ; abdomen grayish-white ; a few of the lower tail coverts 

 black, the rest white ; tail brownish-black ; upper parts dark brown 

 — the fore part of the back and wing coverts tinged with olive ; 

 eyes bright red. Length thirteen inches and a half, wing six and 

 three quarters. 



This species prefers the more temperate parts of the Union. In 

 the Southern States it is quite common during summer, but seldom 

 observed as far as Long Island, on thff south shore of which I have 

 known a few to occur ; and I have in my possession a handsome 



