Book III. O^^lT HO LOqY. 313 



The Bill from the tip to the corners of the mouth was more than an inch long, The Birr. 

 (freight, or but little bending : The nether Chap, as far as the angle, of a pale yellow, 

 then red 3 the upper lefs yellow at the end; about the Nofthrils, and to the end of the 

 bald part red. The bald part is round, and ends at the top of the Head, being like 

 that of a Coot, fave that the Coots is white, but this birds red. The rednefs on the Bill 

 is as it were plaiftered on, and may be fcraped off. The red part of the Bill is fepa- 

 rated from the yellow by a round circumference a little elevated, fo that in the mid- 

 dle of the Bill it is produced further than on the fides. The Tongue is pretty broad, The Tongue, 

 not cloven, rough at the end. The hides of the Eyes are red. The lower Eye-lid Eyes, 

 is not feathered. [ In the young birds neither the Bill, nor the bald fpot in the fore- 

 head are red.] The Legs are green : The Claws of a dark brown, near black, indiffe- Tegs,, 

 rently long. The Toes long, as in the Coot j the middle the longeft, next the out- j£t* 7 

 moft, all broader and plainer below than in the other cloven-footed birds for theufe 

 of fwimming : The back-toe broad, as in Coots, ferving them perchance as a Rudder, 

 to fteer and direft their courie. The Legs are feathered almoft down to' the knees, 

 between the feathers and the joynt marked with a red fpot. 



From the Shoulders or fettingon of the Wing all along its bafe or ridge, and to the The colour of 

 very ends of the feathers runs a line of white. The longer feathers under the Wings * e fathers. 

 arecuriouOy adorned with white ipots, or lines tending downwards. The Breaft is 

 of a lead-colour: The Belly inclining to grey or auT-colour. Under the Tail arewhite 

 feathers ; as it fwimsor walks it often flirts up its Tail, and (hews the white, efpeci- 

 ally when it puts down its head to pick up any thing. The Back and lefier rows of 

 Wing feathers approach to a* ferrugineous colour : Elfe it is all over blackilh. In the* Rufty. 

 Male the feathers under the Tail are whiter, the Belly more f cinereous, and the Back f Afli-coiou- 



r • red or grey. 



more ferrugineous. „ 6 / 



Its Liver is fmall 5 Gall-bladder great; the Gall within being of a greenifh black The Liver 

 colour. It will feed very fat. Its flefh is well tafted, and even comparable to that of J° d fl ^|f' 

 Teal. It gets its food on graffie banks and borders near Waters, and in the very Wa- good meat, 

 ters, efpecially if they be weedy : Feeding ( I fuppofe ) upon the water-Infecrs it ^ f °od. 

 finds among the weeds. It builds upon low trees and fhrubs by the water fide 3 

 breeding twice or thrice in a Summer, and when its young ones are grown upitdrives its breeding, 

 them away to (hift for themfelves. Its Eggs are (harp at one end, white, with a tin- Eggs, 

 ctureof green, fpotted withreddilh lpots. It ftrikes with its Bill like a Hen : It fits Manners, 

 upon boughs, but thofeonly that are thick and near the water. It lives about Motes Place, 

 and great Pools of water near Gentlemens houfes. It flies with its Feet hanging 

 down. 



§. II. 



The other green-footed Water-hen of Aldrovand, per -chance ourW4er+Rail. 



THis Bird from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail is almoft eighteen inches 

 long. It hath a Bill two inches long, both above and underneath for fome 

 fpace yellow, the remaining part being black. The Neck and Head are black : The 

 Back arid upper part of the Wings of a chefnut-colour : The nether part of a dark 

 cinereous : Only the extremes of the Wings are white. The lower Belly alfo is al- 

 moft all white. Gn the fides towards the Wings it is covered with thick feathers. 

 The Tail ends * (harp, being above of a chefnut-colour, underneath white. The * Tn e tatine 

 Thighs are covered with afh-coloured feathers, [varied lightly with tranfverfe white is in f»«»,bp 

 borders, not altogether down to the Knees.] The Legs are green : The Toes long, mSP^d" 

 furnifhed with Claws a little crooked, broad, and plain underneath ; perhaps that it fox ti acumu 

 may fwim with them when there is need or occafion. The Female is in all parts paler 

 than the Male. 



This Bird, if it be not our Water-Rail, is, I confefs, to me unknown. I do indeed 

 fufpecfit to be the Rail, though, to fay the truth, the marks do not agree. Where^ 

 fore I would not omit its defcription, that the Reader, comparing it with that of the 

 Rail, may himfelf judge. 



sf §.iri. 



