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Genus POEPHYEIO. 



Porphyrio, Brisson, Orn. v. p. 522 (1760). 



Fulica apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 258 (1766). 



Gallinula apud Latham, Ind. Orn. ii. p. 768 (1790). 



Hydrionia apud Bonaparte, Compt. Eend. xliii. p. 599 (1856). 



Cesarornis apud Bonaparte, ut supra. 



Hydromia apud Hartlaub, Orn. Westafr. p. 243 (1857). 



Porphyrio (Gallinula) apud Savi, Orn. Tosc. ii. p. 422 (1874). 



The Purple Gallinules are widely distributed, being found in the Palaearctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, 

 Australian, and Neotropical Eegions, three species being found in the Western Palaearctic 

 Eegion, one of which is resident in the southern portions of the region, whereas the other two 

 are merely stragglers from the Ethiopian Eegion. 



In habits these birds are said to resemble the Coots, more even than the Water-Hens. 

 They frequent the borders of lakes, marshy places, and damp, wet localities which are covered 

 with dense aquatic vegetation, where they can find ample opportunities of concealment. They 

 keep close to the reed-thickets, and are hard to flush, even with a dog ; and when they rise they 

 flap heavily for a short distance. They are not companionable ; and each pair keep to their own 

 small domain, brooking no intrusion from others of their own species. They swim with ease, 

 and climb about amongst the tall reeds with the greatest facility. Their call-note is a deep, 

 loud, almost trumpet-like sound, which is frequently uttered at night. Their food consists of 

 seeds and grains of various kinds, grass-shoots, aquatic insects, reptiles, &c. ; and some authors 

 say that they feed on fish. They nest amongst the dense aquatic vegetation where they live, 

 building a nest resembling that of the Coot, and deposit several stone-ochreous eggs, blotched 

 with violet-grey and deep brownish red. 



Dr. Sclater states (Ibis, 1879, p. 195) that Gmelin (I. c.) never intended the term veterim to 

 be used as a specific name for our Purple Gallinule, but merely told his readers that the bird he 

 referred to was the "Porphyrio" veterum, i. e. of ancient writers. Should this be the case, and 

 the specific name veterum be discarded, as I think it ought to be, then it should stand as 

 Porphyrio cceruleus (Vandelli), Flor. et Faun. Lusit. Spec, in Mem. da Academ. Eeal de Lisboa, 



1797 (not 1780, as stated in the synonymy of that species). 



Porphyrio cceruleus, the type of the genus, has the bill shorter than the head, very stout, 



much higher than broad at the base, tapering sharply to the point, gape-line nearly straight ; 



frontal shield large, roundish ; nostrils subbasal, roundish, lateral ; wings moderate, full, the first 



quill about equal to the seventh, the second and third longest ; tail short, rather soft, rounded ; 



legs and feet very long and stout; lower part of the tibia bare, tarsus scutellate ; toes very long 



and slender ; claws long, slightly curved, acute ; plumage soft, blended, glossy above ; general 



coloration in adult dress deep blue. 



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