GALL1NULE. 409 



the head and upper parts rufous, spotted with black ; sides of the 

 head and under parts white; lesser wing coverts spotted with dusky, 

 and a little brown, growing reddish towards the tips ; the outer 

 greater ones the same, but those nearest the body white; quills 

 black ; tail rufous, spotted with black; legs pale yellow. 



Inhabits Germany, by the name of Smirring, probably from its 

 note. The figure in Gesner seems to have an imperfect back toe. 



12 —PIPING GALLINULE. 



Gallinula fistulans, Ind. Orn. ii. 773. Tern. Man. Ed. 2d. 695. 



Fulica fistulans, Gm. Lin. i. 703. 



Porphyrio fuscus, Bris.v. 531. Id. 8vo. ii. 353. 



Das Glutthuhn, Bechst. Dents, iii. 250. 



LaGlout, Btif. viii. 181. 



Piping Gallinule, Gen. Syn. v. 207. 



LENGTH eleven inches or more. Bill black ; the forehead bare, 

 yellowish green ; plumage above brown ; sides of the head and under 

 parts white, with a little mixture of the same on the wing coverts ; 

 quills and tail brown ; legs yellowish grey ; claws grey. 



Inhabits Germany, frequenting the banks of rivers and ponds, 

 like most of the Genus. It is called about Strasburg, Glutt, perhaps 

 from its making a shrill kind of note, not unlike that of a small flute 

 or fife. The three last described I have never met with. M.Temminck 

 supposes them to be mere Varieties of the Common Species ; or at 

 least birds in immature plumage. 



13 —ABYSSINIAN GALLINULE. 



LENGTH ten inches to the end of the tail, and to the toes, 

 thirteen. Bill one inch and a quarter, dull yellow, with a dusky 

 tip; nostrils in a long furrow; plumage above fine deep chestnut 



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