GALLINULIN^E. 109 



feathers oblong, narrow, rounded ; wings rather short, 

 moderately convex, broad and rounded, of about twenty- 

 four quills ; the inner secondaries long and pointed ; tail 

 very short, much rounded, of twelve narrow, decurved, 

 weak feathers. 



The skeleton of the Gallinulinse more resembles that 

 of the Partridges than of any other tribe ; but the whole 

 form is more compressed, and the sternum of very singu- 

 lar construction, being of moderate length, anteriorly of 

 ordinary breadth, but narrowing backwards, so as to end 

 in a point, and from before the middle on each side send- 

 ing out a very long lateral process. These birds are 

 generally distributed, some species being found in every 

 part of the globe. Residing among reeds, sedges, rushes, 

 flags, or other aquatic plants, they are peculiarly fitted 

 by the extreme compression of their body for making their 

 way among the herbage, and by the great length of their 

 toes and claws for supporting themselves upon the stalks 

 or blades of vegetables floating upon the water or grow- 

 ing out of it. They float lightly, and, with the excep- 

 tion of a few species, swim with ease ; but fly heavily, 

 with their legs at first dangling, and afterwards stretched 

 out behind them. In open places they run with great 

 speed, and in their ordinary walk advance in a sedate 

 manner, raising their feet high. Many of them have 

 frontal plates or appendages of a vascular tissue, covered 

 by the ordinary integuments or by a horny cuticle, and 

 becoming more tumid, and often more highly coloured in 

 the breeding season. The nest is bulky, and placed on 

 the ground ; the eggs numerous, oval, light coloured, and 

 spotted, dotted, or speckled with dusky. The young, 

 covered with long, generally black down, run and swim 

 immediately after birth. The food is various, consisting 

 of seeds, herbage, worms, insects, and mollusca. 



