250 GRALL.E. 



the eye. The feathers on the flanks, which are loose and 

 pendant, and hang over the upper parts of the thighs, are 

 black, with streaks of white. The bill, which is about an 

 inch in length, is thick and strong, arched in both mandibles 

 towards the tip, and with the upper projecting a little ; is 

 greenish at the tip and reddish towards the base. The 

 upper mandible advances in a horny shield upon the forehead 

 as far as the eyes ; and it is in the colour of that plate and 

 of the basal part of the bill, that the breeding time is chiefly 

 indicated. At that time the shield is bright red, and the 

 base of the bill of a brighter tint than at other times. When 

 this season is over, the shield fades to a dull reddish white, 

 and the tint of the bill becomes very pale. The irides are 

 red, and so is the naked part of the tibia. The tarsi and 

 toes are various shades of green, from yellowish to dusky ; 

 the toes very long, (the hind one considerably produced as 

 well as the others), all the toes free, but bordered with mem- 

 branes. The tarsus is shorter in proportion ; and the whole 

 foot more stunted in proportion than that of the rail. 



The general appearance of the bird indicates an increase of 

 the characters of the gallinaceous and the swimming birds ; 

 and perhaps no popular name is more expressive of the real 

 characters of a bird than " water-hen " is of this one. It inha- 

 bits the fresh waters rather than the marshy places, and 

 never resorts to the shores of the sea. The slow streams, 

 pools, and large ditches, among the ruder lands, which are 

 thickly margined with sedges, rushes, and other tall plants, 

 are its favourite localities ; and as it reposes during the day 

 in the shade of the herbage, and comes out to feed only in 

 the night, or the twilight, which it often does by swimming, 

 and feeding the while, (as the small fishes which are in the 

 ponds and streams are near the surface feeding at that time,) 

 it often haunts and breeds in the vicinity of houses. The 

 nest is rather large, but very rudely formed of reeds and 



