The Game-birds and Rails 



413 



have referred. It is about as 

 large as a pheasant, but lacks 

 its splendour, being soberly 

 clad in brown and black. Un- 

 like its relative, it breeds in 

 a burrow, which it digs for 

 itself by the aid of its bill. 

 The name " weka " was given 

 it by the Maoris. 



The COMMON WATER-HEN, 

 or MOOR-HEN, is one of the 



most familiar 

 London parks, 

 quent enough 

 upon streams 

 it is, 



birds of the 



Although fre- 



to be seen 



and broads, 



Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.] 



[Parson's Green. 



WEKA-RAIL. 



The wings, though fairly large, are useless for flight. 



nevertheless, shy and 

 wary; but in the sanctuary of 

 the public parks all reserve is 

 thrown off. The water-hen, 

 like its allies, is an expert 

 swimmer, in spite of the fact 

 that the toes are not webbed ; 

 on the contrary, they are very 

 long and slender. When alarmed, these birds will often submerge the body till only the 

 beak projects above water. 



All the members of this group are easily recognised by the bare patch of skin extending 

 from the beak on to the top of the head. In the COOTS this is white; in the WATER-HENS 

 and GrALLiNULES it is red. The coots and water-hens are clad in sober colours, grey or black ; 

 but the gallinules are gorgeously clad in purple, shaded with dark green, olive-brown, and 

 black. MANTELL'S GALLINULE 

 if New Zealand is probably 

 now extinct, the last bird 

 having been killed in 1898. 



THE FIN-FEET. 



These are little-known 

 birds, found in Africa, South 

 America, South-east Asia, and 

 Sumatra. They are closely 

 related to the coots, but differ 

 therefrom in many important 

 particulars. Like the coots, 

 they are river-haunting birds, 

 and have broad flaps of 

 skin fringing the toes, which 

 serve the purpose of a 

 web ; but they have much 

 longer necks and tails than 

 the coots and water-hens. 

 Not much is known about 

 them. 



Photo by W. F. Piggott] 



[Leigkton 



WATER-RAIL. 

 This is a common British bird, seldom seen, on account of its retiring habits. 



