233 
FULICA. COOT, 
Generic Character, 
Rostrum capite brevior, rec- 
tum, basi crassum, conico- 
convexum ; mandibula su- 
periore paulo curvat^, basi 
latiore. 
Nares oblongee, in medio 
rostri sitse, membrana se- 
miclausae. 
Frons nuda. 
Pedes tetradactyli ; digitis 
per totum longitudinum 
membranis fissis emargi- 
natis. 
FULICA Auctorum. 
BeaJc shorter than the head, 
thick at the base, conic- 
convex ; the upper man- 
dible rather- curved, 
broadest at the base. 
Nostrils oblong, placed in 
the middle of the beak, 
and half-closed by a mem- 
brane. 
Forehead naked. 
Legs four-toed ; the toes fur- 
nished with scalloped cleft 
membranes their whole 
length. 
The remarkable structure of the membranes on 
the toes of the Coots, at once distinguishes them 
from the Gallinules, which they otherwise greatly 
resemble : the inner toe is furnished with two of 
these appendages, or rather scallops, the middle one 
with three, and the outer with four; the hinder toe 
has a simple membrane only, extending its whole 
length. The body is much compressed. 
