98 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



on the flanks; and the Little Black Rail, with rusty 

 black plumage above, barred with white, nape of the 

 neck reddish, and the under-parts slate colour. 



The Gallinules constitute another branch of this 

 family, two species of which are found in our Southern 

 States. The Purple Gallinule has the head, neck, 

 and breast a deep bluish-purple, the rest of the plum- 

 age shading to greenish, the under tail-coverts white. 

 A distinguishing mark is the flat, waxy plate, red and 

 blue in colour, on the top of the head. The bill is 

 red, tipped with green, and the legs are yellow. In 

 flying, the Purple Gallinule raises the short tail, dis- 

 playing the pure white under-feathers, and the legs 

 hang straight down. When a shot is fired, it is at 

 once answered, like an echo, by hundreds of these 

 birds. But, although heard, they are seldom seen, for 

 their colouring harmonises so perfectly with the water- 

 lily pads floating on the blue water that they are prac- 

 tically invisible. Their toes are very long and deli- 

 cately made, enabling the birds to walk with ease over 

 the vegetation of lakes and ponds in search of their 

 food. They are also good swimmers. 



The Florida Gallinule is about the same size as the 

 preceding species, but differs in colouration, the back 

 being brownish, the flanks streaked with white. The 

 birds are often seen together in the fresh-water 

 marshes of Florida, the more brilliant colouring of the 

 first species mentioned making it easily distinguish- 

 able from the other. 



The Water Rail is the commonest of European 

 Rails. It is never found far from water, and, in spite 

 of the fact that its feet are not webbed, it swims and 



