GRALLATORJjE. 155 



the upper mandible, also, is somewhat arcuated. Their legs are reticulated. 

 A distinct genus, 



CHAUNA, Illiger, 



Has been made of the Parra chavaria, Lin. ; Cha'ia of Paraguay ; which has no 

 horn on the vertex, and whose occiput is ornamented with a circle of erectile 

 feathers. The head and upper part of the neck are only covered with down, 

 and it has a black collar. It chiefly feeds on aquatic plants ; and the Indians 

 of Carthagena always kept some of them among their geese and chickens, as it 

 is sufficiently courageous, according to them, to repulse even the vulture. A 

 singular circumstance attending this bird is, that air is every where interposed 

 between the skin and muscles, even on the legs, in such a quantity as causes it 

 to crackle under the finger. 



Of the tribe whose wings have no armature, Linnaeus comprises in his genus 

 Fulica such as have their beak prolonged into a sort of shield, which partly 

 covers the forehead; and in his genus Rallus, those in which this peculiarity 

 does not exist. 



RALLUS, Linnceus. 



The Rails, which, in other respects, have a strong mutual resemblance, 

 present bills of very different proportions. 



Ral. crex, Lin. Fawn-coloured brown, spotted with black above; greyish 

 beneath ; flanks streaked with black ; red wings. It lives and builds in the 

 fields, running through the grass with great celerity. Its name, Crex, ex- 

 presses the sound of its note. It has been called the Quail-King, because it 

 arrives and departs with those birds, and leads a solitary life on the same 

 grounds, from which arose the conjecture that it was their leader. It feeds on 

 grain, as well as on worms and insects. 



FULICA, Linneeus. 



The Coots may be divided as follows, from the form of the beak and the 

 appliances of the feet. 



GALLINULA, Brisson and Latham, 



Or the Water-Hens. The beak very similar to that of the ground rail, 

 from which these birds are distinguished by the shield on the forehead, and by 

 very long toes furnished with a very narrow border. 



PORPHYRIO, Brisson. 



The beak higher in proportion to its length ; very long toes, without any 

 very sensible border ; the frontal shield large, rounded in some, and square 

 above in others. These birds stand on one foot, using the other to convey 

 their food to the beak. Their colours are usually fine shades of blue, violet, 

 and aqua-marina. Such is 



Fulica porphyrio, Lin. ; a beautiful African bird, now naturalised in several 

 islands and coasts of the Mediterranean. Its beauty would render it an 

 ornament to our pleasure grounds. . ;j 



