GALLINULE. 425 



36. -PURPLE GALLINULE. 



Gallinula Porphyrio, Ind. Orn. ii. 768. Amer. Orn. ix. 67. pi. 73. f. 2. 



Fulica Porphyrio, Lin. i. p. 258. Gm. Lin. i. 699. Sco/>. i. No. 152. Bris. v. 522. 



t.42. f. 1. Jd. 8vo. ii. 351. 7?a», 116. 13. jspitf. p. 238. Klein, 104. 6. Clut. 



ex. 370. f. 84. Aldr. iii. 437. t. p. 439, Borowsk. iii. 97. t. 53. Gerin. v. t. 485. 

 Porphyrio Indicus, Lin. Trans, xiii. p. 194. 

 Chloropus Acbac, Phil. Trans, xxiii. p. 1395. 19. 

 Der Blau-Vogel, Gm. reise, iii. 79. t. 12. 

 La Taleve de Madagascar, PL cnl. 810. 

 Kaloe, Cook's Last Voy. App ? 

 Pindaramcoli, Bartolomeo Voy. Engl. p. 224. 

 Purple Water Hen, Albin, iii. pi. 11. * 

 Purple Gallinule, Gen. Syn. v. 254. Id. Sup. ii. 326. 



SIZE of a Fowl : length one foot five inches. Bill very stout 

 at the base, compressed on the sides, and above one inch and a half 

 iu length, colour deep red ; irides fulvous; forehead bare, and red; 

 the head and neck behind glossy violet; cheeks, throat, and fore 

 part of the neck, violet blue; back, rump, wings, and tail, dull 

 green, but glossy; quills brown within; tail rounded in shape ; under 

 coverts white; legs stout, the colour of the bill. 



The female differs in being smaller. This bird is more or less 

 common in all the warmer parts of the globe, abounding on the coast 

 of Barbary, as well as in some of the Islands of the Mediterranean. 

 In Sicily they are every where kept for their beauty, but whether 

 indigenous thereto we are not certain : are frequently met with iu 

 various parts of the south of Russia, and west parts of Siberia, in 

 places where reeds grow, and are not uncommon about the Caspian 

 Sea ; but in the cultivated rice grounds of Ghilan, in Persia, in great 

 plenty, and in the highest plumage. Are very common in Egypt; 

 atRosetta, and other parts, are called Sultanas, and are easily tamed, 

 if taken young; their cry, according to Sonnini, nearly resembles 

 the laugh of a person masked. They seem fond of rice, and from 



* The toes are placed faultily, viz. two before, and two behind. 



VOL. IX. Ill 



