150 love's meinie. 



VI. 



PULLA AQUATICA. WATER-HEN. 



{Gallimila Chloropus. — Pentiant, Bewick, Gould, and 

 Yarrcll. ) 



119. 'Green-footed little cock, or hen/ that 

 is to say, in English ; only observe, if you call 

 the Fringe-foot a Phalarope, you ought in 

 consistency to call the Green-foot a Chlorope. 

 Their feet are not only notable for green- 

 ness, but for size : they are very ugly, having 

 the awkward and ill-used look of the feet of 

 Scratchers, while a trace of beginning mem- 

 brane connects them with the fringe-foots. 



Their proper name would be Marsh-cock, 

 which would enough distinguish them from the 

 true Moor-cock or Black-cock. ' Moat-cock ' 

 would be prettier, and characteristic ; for in 

 the old English days they used to live much in 

 the moats of manor-houses ; mine is the name 

 nearest to the familiar one ; only note there is 

 no proper feminine of ' pullus,' and I use the 

 adjective ' pulla ' to express the dark colour. 



It is a ^dixV-broivn bird, according to the 

 coloured pictures — xxow grey, BufFon says, with 

 white stripes of little order on the bodice, 

 clumsy feet and bill, but makes up for all 



