342 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



under parts are edged with dirty-white ; the throat is also 

 spotted with it; tip of bill rich- yellow; base and frontal 

 shield, bright-red ; legs green, with a red and yellow garter.' 

 Length, 11" ; wing, 6" 9'" ; tail, 3'". 



The " Waterhen" or "Moorhen" is not uncommon in the colony, 

 frequenting tke same places as the Crested Coot. Most of the speci- 

 mens received by me came from Mr. Atmore, who shot them about 

 Swellendam. It is common at Zoetendals Vley, where I met with it 

 in November. 



641. Gallinula Angulata, Sund., (Efr. K v. A. 



Handl., 1850; G. Pumila, Sclater, Ibis 1859, p. 



249, PI. VII. 



UPPER parts, dark olive-green ; wings cinereous, the outer 

 edge white, the inner rufous ; chin and centre of belly, light- 

 cinereous, almost white; the flanks and chest darker; outer- 

 most tail-coverts of the under side, white ; the inner black ; 

 a few white feathers are scattered along the flanks ; frontal 

 shield and top of the bill near the tip, bright-crimson ; the 

 rest bright greenish-yellow ; legs and feet the same. Length, 

 8"; wing, 5"; tail, 2J". 



A single specimen of this elegant little Waterhen, in superb 

 plumage, was sent to me by Mr. W. Cairncross, of Swellendam, who 

 procured it in that neighbourhood. 



O642. Gallinula Niger; Gallinula Flavirostris, 

 Swain., Orn. W. A, Vol. 2, p. 244 ; Crex. Nigra, 

 Licht. ; Guv., Vol. 3, p. 409 ; Rallus Niger, Linn., 

 Shaw, Vol. 12, p. 210. 



GENERAL. colour, deep-black, shining-brown if held in certain 

 lights ; bill bright-yellow ; eyelids and feet red, changing 

 in death, the first to a dirty-green, the latter to a fight-brown ; 

 hides dark-crimson. Length, 7"; wing, 4j"; tail, If". 



Not uncommon in vleys and among the sedges along river banks. 

 The Museum taxidermist, Mr. Butler, shot a fine specimen, from 

 which the above description was taken, close to Cape Town, in the 

 Black Biver. 



Genus FULICA, Linnaeus. 



Bill shorter than the head, strong, straight, more elevated 

 than broad, with the culmen straight, advancing on the 

 forehead, forming a broad shield, and curved near the tip ; 

 the nostrils placed in a nasal groove, linear, and near 

 the middle of the bill ; wings short, with the second and 

 third quills the longest ; tail very short and rounded ; tarsi 



