270 EALLID^ FULICA 



fringe ; toes long, with a series of lateral membranous lobes on 

 either side corresponding to the individual phalanges. 



This well-marked genus contains the Coots, some thirteen species 

 of which are scattered all over the world. One of these is commonly 

 found in South Africa. 



FIG. 86. Left foot of Fulica cristata. x 1 



A Coot in the South African Museum, obtained near Durban 

 on February 2nd, 1901, by Mr. T. D. Butler, the collector, is 

 apparently referable to Fulica americana, the White-rumped Coot 

 of North and Central America. I have hesitated before admitting 

 the species to our South African list, as it rests on one record only, 

 which may possibly be due to some mistake in labelling, but I think 

 this unlikely, and perhaps more examples may be discovered. It 

 can easily be distinguished from the Eed-knobbed Coot by its white 

 under tail-coverts, and by the white tips to the inner secondaries. 



685. Fulica cristata. Red-knobbed Coot. 



Fulica cristata, Gmel, Syst. Nat. i., p. 704 (1788) ; Gumey, Ibis, 1862, 

 p. 153 [Natal] , 1868, pp. 261, 470 [Transvaal] ; P. L. Sclater, 

 P. Z. S., 1866, p. 23 [Cathcart] ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 343 (1867) ; 

 Pelzeln, Novara JReise, Vogel, p. 135 (1865) ; Gumey, in Anders- 

 son's B. Damaral. p. 327 (1872) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1874, p. 105, 1885, 

 p. 347; Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 389; Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 213; 



