RALLID^, RAILS, ETC. GEN. 243, 244, 245. 



275 



243. Genus GALLINULA Brisson. 

 H')^ Florida Gallinule. Head, neck and under parts, grayish-black, darkest 

 on the former, paler or whitening on the belly ; back l)rovvnish-olive ; wings 

 and tail dusky; crissum, edge of wing, and stripes on the ilanks, white; 

 bill, frontal plate, and ring round tibife, red, the former tipped with yellow ; 

 tarsi and toes greenish. 12-15 long; wing 6^-7 J ; tail 3-3 J ; gape of bill 

 about IJ ; tarsus about 2. S. Atlantic and Gulf states, N. sometimes to 

 Massachusetts. Bonap., Am. Orn. iv, 128, pi. 27, f. 1; Nutt., ii, 223; 

 AuD., V, 132, pi. 304; Cass, in Bd., 752. . (ciiloropus var?) galeata. 



244. Genus POEPHYRIO Temminck. 

 /~j~l Z' Purple Gallinule. Head, neck and under parts beautiful purplish-blue, 

 blackening on the belly, the crissum white ; above, olivaceous-green, the 

 cervix and wing coverts tinted with blue ; frontal shield blue ; bill red, 

 tipped with yellow ; legs yellowish. Young with the head, neck and lower 

 back brownish, the under parts mostly white, mixed with ochrey. 10-12 ; 

 wing 6J-7 ; tail 2J-3 ; bill from gape about IJ ; tarsus about 2^ ; middle 

 toe and claw about 3. S. Atlantic and Gulf States, N. casually to New 

 England (Maine, Boardman, Am. Nat. iii, 498). Wils., ix, 69, pi. 73; 

 f. 2 ; Nutt., ii, 221 ; Aud., v, 128, pi. 303 ; Cass, in Bd., 753. martiniga. 



Subfamily FULICIN^E. Coots. 



Bill and frontal plate much as in the gallinules ; body 

 depressed, the under plumage thick and duck-like, to resist 

 water ; feet highly natatorial ; tarsus shorter than middle 

 toe ; toes, including the hinder, lobate, being furnished with 

 large semicircular membranous flaps. The coots are emi- 

 nently aquatic birds, swimming with ease, by means of their 

 lobate feet, like phalaropes and grebes. There are about 

 ten species, of both hemispheres, all referable to the 



245. Genus rULICA Linnseus. 



h 7 // Coot. Dark slate, paler or grayish below, black- 

 ening on the head and neck, tinged with olive on the 

 back ; crissum, whole edge of wing and tips of second- 

 aries, white ; bill white or flesh color, marked with fig. i8o.~ Prontai piate of a 

 reddish-black near the end ; feet dull olivaceous ; species of coot. 

 young similar, paler and duller. About 14 ; wing 7-8 ; tail 2 ; bill from 

 the gape IJ-li^ ; tarsus about 2 ; middle toe and claw about 3. Temperate 

 N. Am., abundant. Wils., ix, 61, pi. 73, f. 1; Nutt., ii, 229; Aud., v, 

 138,305; Cass, in Bd., 751 Americana. 



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