562 BRITISH BIRDS. 



and the general colour of the upper parts is a brighter olive-brown. 

 Young in first plumage have the mantle and innermost secondaries russet- 

 brown, the slate-grey on the head and neck replaced by olive-brown, 

 the chin and throat nearly white, and the slate-grey of the rest of the 

 underparts replaced by brown, with the pale tips to the feathers very much 

 developed. In their first autumn they moult into the plumage of birds 

 of the year, which is intermediate. Young in down are black. 



Several species belonging to the allied genus Porphyrio have occurred 

 at various times in the British Islands; but as they are often kept in 

 aviaries and on ornamental waters, it is probable that they have never 

 occurred in this country in a wild state. Of these, the Purple Gallinule 

 (P. ceeruleus) is a resident in Algeria, Spain, and Italy *. This is a large 

 species, about the size of a Coot, with an enormously thick red bill and 

 red legs, the general colour of the plumage being a deep rich blue. 

 One specimen of this bird was caught at Boldon Flats in August 1863, 

 and another near Ponteland in the same month of 1873 (Hancock, ' Birds 

 of Northumberland and Durham/ p. 126). A third example was shot 

 near Campbeltown, in Argyleshire, in the first week of December 1863 

 (Gray, ' Birds of West of Scotland/ p. 337). Several other examples have 

 been met with. In its habits this bird resembles the Waterhen, but it is 

 more retiring and shy. The egg is similar to that of the Waterhen, but 

 larger. 



The second species, which has the back dark green instead of blue, the 

 Green-backed Gallinule (P. smaragnotus] , is even still less likely to have 

 occurred in this country in a wild state. It is only known north of the 

 Mediterranean as a very rare straggler, and inhabits the whole of Africa 

 with the exception of the north-west, where it is replaced by its blue-backed 

 ally. Three examples of this bird have been obtained in Norfolk, and 

 many others in various parts of the country ; but as they have all doubtless 

 escaped from confinement, no interest can attach to the special locality. 



The third species, the Martinique Gallinule (P. martinicm), inhabits 

 the tropical portions of the American continent. One specimen has 

 occurred in Ireland (Thompson, Ann. Nat. Hist, xviii. p. 311, 1846). 



* The evidence of the occurrence of this species east of Italy is of the most unreliable 

 character. It is not found in Egypt ; its alleged occurrence in Palestine is founded upon 

 a single example which cannot now be found. S. G. Gmelin stated that it was found 

 abundantly on the Caspian ; but I have lately had an opportunity of examining a series of 

 skins from Lenkoran, which prove to be the Indian species P. poliocephalus, so that the 

 name supposed to have been given to the western species by Gmelin falls to the ground. 

 Its occurrence in South Russia, Asia Minor, Turkey, or Greece appears to be equally 

 legendary, no modern collector having obtained it in any of these countries. 



