COMMON GALLINULE. 
MS 
parts are deep olive-brown: the outer edge of the 
wing, and the under taii-coverts are pure white : 
several large longitudinal stripes of this last colour 
are on the sides of the body ; and the three or four 
central feathers of the tail-coverts are shaded with 
deep black : the legs are yellowish-green, with a red 
circle or garter above the knees. The female differs 
in having the shades of the plumage less distinct. 
The young differ considerably from the adults till 
after their second autumnal moulting: the tip of 
their beak is olive-green, shading into olive-brown 
towards the base: the frontal plate is not very large, 
and is of a deep olive-colour: the irides are brown: 
the top of the head, the nape, back and rump, are 
olive-brown: the wing-quills are deep brown, ter- 
minated with a lighter shade: the tail is also deep 
brown : the throat, the fore part of the neck, and a 
stripe beneath the eye are whitish: the rest of the 
under parts are bright griseous, shaded with olive on 
the sides: the legs are olivaceous, tinged with yel- 
lowish above the knee. During the first year they 
have the beak paler, and the tinges of colour on the 
under sides of the plumage clearer. The frontal 
plate varies in size and colour at the different periods 
of growth of the bird. 
This seems to be a pretty generally distributed 
species, being found throughout the European and 
African continents, and is very common in England: 
affecting sedgy and slow rivers, streams of water, 
and ponds abounding with weeds, where it can lie 
concealed: it runs fast, and is equally expert in 
swimming and diving: it flies badly, with its legs 
