GALLINULID^. 323 



inches deep and has somewhat the appearance of a 

 shallow inverted sugar-loaf: after the nest has been 

 completed, the bird binds the tops of the surrounding 

 grasses and ties them together so as to form a partial 

 shelter against the sun, as well as to afford concealment. 



Ondonga, February 24th. No abatement in the 

 quantity coming in of the eggs of the Lesser Waterhen. 



Ondonga, March 4th. The Lesser Waterhen con- 

 tinues to lay, probably for the second time this season ; 

 but it is rarely that four eggs can now be found in any 

 nest ; they have probably not time to lay the full num- 

 ber before they are robbed. 



Measurements of a male and a female : 



Male. Female, 



in. lin. in. lin. 



Entire length 11 1 10 3 



Length of folded wing ..59 63 



tarsus ....19 17 



middle toe ... 2 1 1 11 



tail 29 25 



bill 11 . 10 



376. Grallinula chloropllS (Linn.). British Waterhen. 



Gallinula chloropus, Gould's Birds of Europe, pi. 342. 



Gurney, Birds Damar., Proc. Zool. Soc. 186*, p. 3. 



Andersson, ibid. p. 7. 



Layard's Cat. No. 640. 



Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 421. 



Finsch & Hartlaub's Vogel Ost-Afrika's, p. 787. 



This species is common in all suitable localities 

 throughout Damara Land and the adjacent countries. 

 It breeds in February and March, usually forming its 

 nest amongst the rank vegetation bordering on its 



Y2 



