188 



GALLINULE. 



specific character in this tribe of aquatic birds, has been described by- 

 Latham, in a paper in the Linnaean Transactions. " The windpipe of 

 the male," he says, "has a bony bladder, and arch somewhat like that 

 of the pintail duck, but the globular part not so large." We may 

 observe, too, that it adheres to the side of the arch quite to the bottom, 

 whereas in the pintail it is attached to the side of the arch by a small 

 portion only. 



This beautiful duck visits us in winter, but does not appear to be a 

 plentiful species. It is supposed to breed in Sweden, and probably in 

 Russia and Siberia, being found in those parts. *Wilson says he has 

 met with it in distant parts of the United States.* 



It is said to be a great diver ; feeds chiefly by night, concealing itself 

 amongst the reeds and rushes during the day. It makes a noise not 

 unlike that of the mallard, but louder. 



GAIRFOWL. — A name for the Awk. 



GALLINACEOUS (Linnaeus.)— Poultry, a group of birds {Gal- 

 Unas, Auctores,) and (Rasores, Illiger.) 



GALLINULA (Latham.) — *A genus thus characterised. Bill 

 shorter than the head, compressed, conical, higher than broad at the 

 base ; ridge advancing upon the forehead and dilating in some species 

 into a naked plate ; point of both mandibles compressed, and of equal 

 length : the upper slightly curved, the nasal groove very large, the 

 under forming an angle. Nostrils at the sides, in the middle of the 

 bill, slit lengthways, half shut by a membrane which covers the nasal 

 groove, and pierced from part to part. Legs long, naked above the 

 knee ; three toes before and one behind, the fore toes long, divided, 

 and furnished with a very narrow border. Wings of middle size, the 

 first quill shorter than the second and third which are longest in the 

 wing. The latter does not hold in some foreign species.* 



GALLINULE (Gallinula chloropus, Latham. 



Fulica chloropus, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 258.4. — Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 698. — Gallinula 

 chloropus, Ind. Orn. 2. p. 770. 13.' — Gallinula chloropus major, Raii, Syn. p. 



113. A. 1 Ib. p. 190. 15.— Will. p. 223. t. 58 Briss. 6. p. 3. 1. t. 1.— Ib. 



8vo. 2. p. 358 Poule d'eau, Buff. Ois. 8. p. 171. t. 15.— Common Water-hen, 



or Moor-hen, Albin, 2. t. 71 Ib. 3. t. 91 Will. (Angl.) p. 312. t. 58.— 



Common Gallinule, Br. Zool. 2. No. 217. t. 77 Ib. fol. 131. t. L. 1 Arct. 



Zool. 2. No. 411 Supp. p. 69.— Haye's Br. Birds, t. 30 Lath. Syn. 5. p. 



258. 12.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 5. t. 191.— Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 16 Wale. Syn. 



2. t. 169 Bon. Br. Birds, 5. t. 110 Brown Gallinule, Lath. Syn. 5. p. 260. 



YOUNG. 



Speckled, Yellow Legged, and Piping Gallinule, Lath. Syn. 5. p. 266. Nos. 

 19,20,21. 



Provincial. — Moor-hen. Marsh-hen. Cuddy. Moor-coot. 

 Stank-hen. 



