GALIjyULA. lONOEXIS. / / 



46. Gallinula galeata. 



American Waterhent. 



GalliuuTa galeata (Licht.), Verz. Doubl. p. 80, 1823 (San Paulo) ; 

 Cab. in Sclioinb. Eeis. Griiian. iii. p. 760, 1848 ; Brabouvne & Chubb, 

 B. S. Amer. i. p. 25, no. 255, 1912. 



Adult female. Head and neck all round dull black ; mantle, 

 upper back, wings, and scapulars dark slate-colour ; middle of: 

 back and rump bronze-brown ; tail black ; quills dark brown, 

 outer edge of first primary and a spot at the tip of two of the 

 secondaries white ; breast, sides of body, and abdomen deep slate- 

 grey, dull white on the middle of the abdomen, some of the flank- 

 feathers brcadly streaked with white ; central under tail-coyerts 

 black, the outer ones pure white ; marginal under wing-coyerts 

 and edge of wing white, inner coyerts grey tipped with white. 

 " Bill and frontal shield bright scarlet in life, end of the former 

 greenish yellow or bright yellow ; legs and feet yellowish green, 

 joints ashy blue ; upper part of the naked tibia scarlet ; iris 

 brown." 



Total length 330 mm., bill from gape 31, wing 1G2, tail (Jo, 

 tarsus 47, middle toe and claw 76. 



Adult male. Similar to the adult female. AVino- 176 mm. 



The description of tlie female is taken from a specimen collected 

 on the Abary River. 



Breeding-season. Unknown in British Guiana. 



JS^est. Unrecorded in British (luiana. 



Eggs. Undescribed from British Guiana. 



Range in British Guiana. Bartica, Abary Riyer (^McConnell 

 collection). 



ExtraUmital Range. The greater portion of North aud South 

 America. 



Habits. Schomburgk says (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 760) that this 

 species was found in company with Ionor)iis martinica near the 

 boijs and in the Aviceniiien bu^h near the coast. 



Genus lONORNIS Reichonb. 



lonornis Reichenbach, Nat. Syst. Vogel, \). xxi, 1852. Typo /. martinica 

 (Linn.). 



This genus differs from (Jallimda in being more slender in form 

 ami ill having rm posterior caruncle on the fruutal sliield; general 

 colour blui-Ii gi'f'cn. 



