114 



GRALLATORES. 



RALLID^E. 



RALL1D&. 



THE MOOR-HEN. 



Gallinula chloropus. 



Gallinula chloropus > Common Gallinule, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. ii. p. 121. 



Fulica MONTAGU, Ornith. Diet. 



Gallinula BEWICK, Brit. Birds, vol. ii. p. 145. 



' FLEM. Brit. An. p. 99. 



SELBY, Brit. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 188. 



n JENYNS, Brit. Vert p. 220. 



,, M M GOULD, Birds of Europe, pt. xiv. 



Poule d'eau ordinaire, TEMM. Man. d'Ornith. vol. ii. p. 693. 



GALLINULA. Generic Characters. Bill thick at the base, compressed, slightly 

 swollen towards the tip, subconic, as short as the head. Upper mandible convex, 

 with the culmen extended and dilated, forming a naked frontal plate or shield ; 

 lateral furrow wide ; mandibles of nearly equal length ; angle of the lower one 

 ascending. Tomia of the under mandible slightly intracted, and covered oy the 

 upper. Nostrils lateral, pervious, pierced in the membrane of the furrow in the 

 middle of the bill ; longitudinal and linear. Legs strong, of mean length, naked 

 for a short space above the tarsal joint ; front of the tarsus scutellated ; hinder 

 part reticulated ; feet four-toed, three before and one behind ; toes long, divided, 

 and bordered through their whole length by a narrow entire membrane. Wings 

 armed with a small, sharp, recumbent spine. Plumage soft, and thick, but loose 

 in texture ; body compressed at the sides. Selby. 



