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MADAGASCAR PORPHYKIO. 
(Porphyrio Madagascariensis.) 
Po. purpureus subtus viridis cceruleusve, capite griseo-cani- 
lescente, rostro pedibusque riifis. 
Purple Porphyrio beneath green or bluish, with the head gi*ey- 
bluej the beak and legs red. 
Gallinula Madagascariensis. Lath. Ind. Orn. Sup. Ixviii. 
Gallinula poliocephala. Lath. Ind. Orn. Sup. Ixviii. var. 
Grey-headed Water Hen. Lath. Syn. Sup. 11. Add. 375. 
" Beak red and large, and rising on the forehead : 
head and neck blue-grey, growing to azure towards 
the chin : back purple : wings and tail deep indigo : 
breast and belly verditer-green : vent white : tail in- 
digo : legs scarlet. Another, said to come from Ma- 
dagascar : beak the same, but not coming so high on 
the forehead : head and neck pale grey : back deep 
green and black intermixed : chin, breast, and shoul- 
der of wings, verditer-green : belly and sides blue : 
vent ultramarine : legs and bare part of the thighs 
scarlet." Latham thus describes these two birds, 
which are probably but varieties of each other. 
