Family RALLID^. Genus Gallinula. 



Subfamily Gallinulin/e. 



WATERHEN. 



GALLINULA CHLOROPUS— Z2«««»j. 



Geographical Distribution.— ^/-zVw/^.- Commonly dis- 

 tributed in all suitable localities throughout the British Islands, 

 extending to the Outer Hebrides and the Orkneys, but only 

 accidentally to the Shetlands. It visits the Channel Islands on 

 migration, a few perhaps remaining to breed. Foreign : Including 

 allied forms, almost cosmopolitan. It occurs accidentally on the 

 Faroes, and breeds in suitable localities throughout Europe, in 

 Scandinavia up to lat. 63°, in West Russia up to lat. 58°, and in 

 East Russia up to lat. 56°, becoming more sparingly dispersed 

 towards these northern limits. At present it remains unrecorded 

 from West Siberia, but breeds in Turkestan and the Baikal 

 district, and is also a summer visitor to Northern China and the 

 north island of Japan, but a resident in the main island of Japan 

 and in Southern China. It is also a resident in the Philippine 

 Islands, Celebes, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, the Burmese penin- 

 sula, and throughout India, but only of accidental occurrence in 

 Ceylon. It also inhabits all suitable parts of South-western Asia 

 and Africa, including Madagascar, Bourbon, the Seychelles, the 

 Atlantic Islands, and the Azores. In America it is found 

 breeding from the Southern States in the north to South Brazil in 

 the south. 



Allied Forms. — Gallinula tenebrosa, an inhabitant of 

 Australia, distinguished from the Waterhen by having no white 

 stripes on the flanks, and being somewhat larger. The Waterhen 

 varies considerably in length of wing and size of the frontal 

 plate. Typical western Palsarctic examples range from 7 to 6^ 

 inches in length of wing, and the frontal plate barely extends as 



