( 48 ) 
The Spur- WINGED Water Hen. 
T his Bird is of the Water Hi?0-kind ; WiUugbby has defcrib’d fomething like 
it as to Shape, but of other Colours ; the Print ftiews the Bird of its natural 
Bienefs • the Bill is near an Inch and a half long, of a yellow Colour, the Noftrils 
fituate on each Side about the middle of the Bill ; it hath at the Bafis of the upper 
Mandible a bald Skin, as in other Water Hens, but different, in that it is a looie Flap, 
fcollop’d with three Scollops on the Top, join’d to the Head at the Bottom, of a 
vellovvilh Colour; I fuppofe it was Red when the Bird was living, fince that Part is 
delcrib’d to be fo in the Birds Margrave faw in BraJU ; the Crown of the Head is 
Brown intermixed with feme dusky Spots ; from the Corners of the Mouth, through 
the Eyes, to the hind Part of the Neck on each Side, is drawn a black Line, above 
the Eyes are white Eines^ the under Side of the Head, Neck, Breafl:, Belly, Thighs, 
and under Coverts of the Tail are White, on the Sides of the Belly and Thighs, are 
fprinkled a few red Marks ; the hinder Part of the Neck is Black, which by degrees 
becomes Brown in the beginning of the Back, the lower Part of the Back, Rump and 
upper Side of the Tail, are of a purplilh inclining to a red Rofe-colour; the Feathers 
about the Shoulders, or fetting on of the Wings, are of a light Brown, the ^iills of 
the Wings are of a fine Green-colour tip’d with Black, except a few of the fmaller next 
the Back which are Brown; the firft Coverts above the Quills are Black, next above 
is a Row of Brown, the reft of the Coverts are of a Rofe or purplilh Colour; the 
Covert-feathers within-fide the Wings, are of a redifti Brown ; what is moft extraor- 
dinary in this Bird, is a Pair of ftrong, thick, ftiort, yellow Spurs on the Joints of the 
Wrings turning inward, lb that they point toward each other; the Legs are veiy long, 
and bare of Feathers above the Knees ; the middle Toe for Length, equals the Leg, 
the fide Toes a little fhorter, the back Toe is pretty long, having a Claw or Nail 
ftrai<^ht like a Needle, and longer than the Toe, which together equal the Length 
of' the Leg, the back Toe is only one Joint, the inner two, the middle three, and the 
outer Toe'’lour. I have been the more particular in deferibing the Joints of the Toes in 
this Bird, becaufe this Kind is faid in the Deferiptions I find in IVillughhy to have four 
Joints in each Toe ; tire three forward Toes have long llcnder Claws, pietty ftraight ; 
botli Legs, Feet and Claws of a Lead or bluifh Afh-colour. , , • 
This Bird had been preferv’d a good while in Spirits by Sir Hans Sloane, who lent it 
me that I might nuke a Drawing of it; I was told it was brought hon\ Carthageua'xn 
South America, 
He 
