GRALLATORLE. 163 



Indians of Carthagena always kept some of them among 1 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, Lin. 



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

 sent bills of very different proportions. 



RaL crex, L. 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 feed 8 

 on grain, as well as on worms and insects. 



FULICA, Lin. 



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

 pliances of the feet. 



GALLINUUL, Briss. and Lath. 



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. 



POBPHTHIO, Briss. 



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, L.; a beautiful African bird, now naturalized in several 

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

 nament to our pleasure grounds. 



FULICA, Briss. 



The True Coots, in addition to a short beak and a large frontal shield, 

 have their toes much widened by a festooned border that renders them excel- 

 lent swimmers, hi consequence of which their lives are passed in ponds and 



