184 



the exposed crimson -red plate on the forehead, and the jerk- 

 ing of its short tail, contrasting with the white feathers to the 

 best advantage. 



Possessing, even in its wild state, habits of tameness, 

 which by attention may be increased to familiarity, we have 

 seen on many occasions this species frequenting the outyard 

 of a large mill situated at Island Bridge, upon the Liffey, 

 there feeding contentedly and picking up seeds, as much at 

 home as any of the fowl into whose vicinity and domain it 

 had intruded. 



Very common about Dublin, we have many times received 

 its eggs from the neighbourhood of the many mill-ponds 

 about the city. In one instance nine eggs were obtained 

 in the nest, and were so far advanced that, being wrapped in 

 flannel, and placed in a warm situation, six of the nine pro- 

 duced birds. 



Possessing habits of great interest, the appearance of a 

 troop of water hens along the picturesque scenery which, in 

 most cases, fringe the rivers frequented by them, render 

 them at all times an object worthy, not only the attention of 

 the ornithologist, but of the merest lover of nature. Thus we 

 have many times observed this bird along the fine, picturesque, 

 wood-fringed river- side of the Liffey, between Lucan and 

 Palmerstown ; sitting lightly and buoyantly on the water, it 

 jerks itself forward with the neck gracefully erected, and the 

 little white tail-patch jerking up with each paddle of the 

 foot. When alarmed, it seeks the shelter of the overhanging 

 bank, and remains until all symptoms of danger have passed by. 

 Indicative of its approaching affinity to the swimmers, we 

 see (like many of the true ducks) the attempt to escape by 

 diving, which is so eminently possessed by this species. 



Indigenous. 



SPECIES 177 THE PURPLE WATER HEN. 



Gallinula martinica Gmelin. 



Poule cT eau martinica. 



WERE this the only North American species which had ever 

 been obtained upon our coasts, we might feel some reluctance 

 in allowing it the position it holds in our Fauna. But when 

 we have instances before us of the American bittern and 

 cuckoo, we can have no reason for not admitting the species 

 to our Fauna. 



The present specimen of the purple gallinule was found 

 lying dead in a ditch near the village of Brandon, on the sea- 



