3;J4 COMMON GALLINULE. 



siderable way above the joint; tarsus rather long, strong, compressed, 

 anteriorly covered with broad scutella, laterally with angular scales, pos- 

 teriorly with minute scales ; hind toe comparatively small, middle toe 

 longest and much longer than the tarsus, fourth considerably shorter, and 

 but little longer than the second ; toes free, slender, compressed, scutel- 

 late above, flat beneath and marginate ; claws rather long, slender, much 

 compressed, acute. 



Plumage soft, blended, on the fore part of the head short ; a tuft of 

 elongated incurved feathers on the sides. Wings short, broad; alula 

 large ; primaries curved, broad, second and third longest, first and sixth 

 about equal ; secondaries broad and rounded. Tail short, much round- 

 ed, of twelve rather weak rounded feathers, which but slightly exceed the 

 upper and lower coverts. 



Frontal plate and bill deep carmine, the ends of both mandibles yel- 

 low. Iris bright red. Feet yellowish-green, a portion of the bare part 

 of the tibia carmine ; claws dusky. Head and neck deep bluish-grey ; 

 that colour continues paler over the breast, sides and abdomen, the 

 latter having the feathers tipped with greyish white, and the posterior 

 hypochondrial feathers having a longitudinal band of white towards the 

 end ; lower eyelid white, as are the lateral lower tail-coverts, those in the 

 middle black. The back and wings are deep olive, the latter having a 

 narrow edging of white, which also runs along the outer quill. Tail 

 brownish-black. 



Length to end of tail 14 inches, to end of claws 19 ; extent of wings 

 22; wing from flexure 7j; tail 3 ; bill from base of frontal plate 1^^, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 1;^; tarsus 2^, middle toe S/j, its 

 claw j%. Weight 12 oz. 



The Female is similar to the male, but has the frontal plate smaller. 



The Young, when fledged, have the upper part of the head of an oli- 

 vaceous brown, like the back and wings, the neck of a light dull grey, the 

 chin dull white, the lower parts light grey tinged with yellowish on the 

 breast, most of the feathers tipped with whitish, the lines on the hypo- 

 chondrial feathers of a dull cream colour and of small extent. The fron- 

 tal plate is small, and with the bill of a dingy greenish colour, as are the 

 feet, the claws yellowish-brown. 



