* lliE VVATKlt-KAIL,. iUKUS. TlIE COOT. 419 
stated, run over the floating aquatic plants, and others 
swim and dive with ease. Their food consists of 
worms, small mollusca, and insects, but they also eat 
a good deal of vegetable matter. We may commence 
with those forms which are represented in Britain. 
THE "WATEK-RAIL {liallus aqiiatimii) — Plate 28, 
fig. 106 — is an abundant species in many parts of 
Europe, but does not occur very commonly in England, 
where, however, it is a constant resident. In the north 
of Europe it is a summer visitor. This bird frequents 
marshes, where it dwells amongst the dense beds of 
reeds, rushes, and other herbage. Through these the 
compressed form of its body, which, indeed, is common 
to all the species of this family, enables it to pass with 
great facility, so that it can hardly be driven from its 
cover by any means. It is also able to swim and dive 
well. The nest consists of a mass of sedges and coarse 
grass, collected amongst the thickest herbage of its 
haunts. The appearance of the Water-rail is well 
shown in our figure. Its bill is longer than in most 
other species of the family, and the whole length of the 
bird is nearly a foot. 
THE LAND-HAIL {Crex pratensis), which is also 
called the Cokn-crake, is a common visitor to Britain, 
arriving here towards the end of April. It resem- 
bles the Water-rail in its general appearance, but 
is nearly two inches shorter, and has a much shorter 
bill. The Land-rail is abundant all over Europe, 
and also visits Northern Africa in the winter. It 
haunts damp meadows and the borders of rivers, and 
is also commonly found in corn-fields, from which its 
curious cry of crelc, crek, creJc, may be constantly 
heard in the dusk of the evening. The food of this 
bird consists of worms, slugs, insects, and even small 
reptiles, and its flesh is regarded as exceedingly good. 
Its nest, which is placed on the ground in a field of 
thick grass, clover, or corn, is composed of dried herb- 
age. and usually contains from seven to ten eggs. The 
female sits very close ; indeed, an instance is recorded 
of her head being cut off by mowers. When in 
danger, and unable to escape, the Land-rail will feign 
death in the most perfect manner, and persist in this 
simulation until it gets an opportunity to steal away. 
Several other Crakes or Land-rails are met with in 
this country. They all visit us in the summer. Other- 
species are dispersed in all parts of the world. 
THE GALLINULE (^Gallinula chloropus) — Plate 28, 
fig. 108. — The Gallinules are distinguished from the 
preceding species by having the ridge of the upper 
mandible dilated at the base into the form of an oblong 
plate, of rather soft consistence, which covers more or 
less of the forehead. They are all aquatic in their 
habits. The hinder toe is more developed than in the 
preceding species of this family. The common Gallinule, 
Moor-hen, or Water-hen of this country is generally 
distributed over the Old World, always inhabiting 
marshy places. The Gallinule swims and dives with 
great facility, and is rarely seen except on the water, 
along which it moves with a nodding motion of the 
head, probably corresponding to the strokes given by 
the feet. It picks up most of its food while thus 
swimming about, aq|tl obtains some also by diving 
to the bottom of the water, but in the morning and 
evening not unfreqnently wanders to the damp mea- 
dows in its vicinity in search of worms, insects, and 
slugs. Occasionally this bird perches on the branch 
of a tree, and it has even been known to place its nest 
upon a branch hanging close to the surface of the 
water ; but the nest is generally made on the ground 
amongst reeds and other herbage. The eggs are 
usually seven or eight in number, and the birds pro- 
duce two or three broods in the season. In winter the 
Gallinules frequent running water, which is not liable 
to be frozen over, and in severe winters they take to 
hedge rows and plantations, and appear to feed on 
berries and seeds. 
THE COOT {Fulica atra), which is very nearly allied 
to the Gallinule, is distinguished from it by the broad 
membranous lobes with which the toes are bordered 
on each side The base of the upper mandible is 
dilated into a frontal plate. The Coot is considerably 
larger than the Gallinule, measuring about sixteen 
inches in length ; its colour is a sooty black, with the 
tips of the secondaries white, forming a narrow band 
across the wing ; the bill is flesh co'our, with its frontal 
dilatation white, and the feet are dark green. This 
bird is widely distributed in Europe and Asia, and per- 
forms a partial migration towards the north in the 
summer. It frequents large open sheets of water, and 
is verj' watchfid in its habits ; for which reason other 
water fowl are said to be exceedingly fond of associ- 
ating with it. It swims and dives well, and is active 
and lively on land ; it even perches and moves about 
the branches of trees with great ease. 
THE SULTANA BIRD {Porphyrio piulverulentvs )- — 
Plate 28, fig. 107. — The species of the genus Por- 
phyrio are very nearly related to the Gallinules, which 
they resemble in most of thei: characters. They are 
distributed over most parts of the world, principally 
in the warmer regions; only one species, and this a 
native of Africa, occurs in Europe. In their habits 
they resemble the Gallinules. The species figured 
is a native of Southern Africa, where it is met with on 
the banks of rivers. 
THE JACANA (Parra Jacana). — The Jacanas difler 
from the preceding species in the form of the bill, 
which is more or less arched towards the tip, and in 
the great length and acuteness of the claws, especially 
those of the hinder toes. The wings also are armed 
with spurs at the bend. The claw of the hind too is 
perhaps more elongated in the present species than in 
any other. It is an inhabitant of Brazil, where it fre- 
quents the rivers, and runs by means of its elongated 
toes over the floating leaves of the aquatic plants. At 
the base of the bill there is a large dilated plate stand- 
ing up in front of the forehead, and a sort of wattle-like 
prominence occupies the base of the lower mandible ; 
the head and lower surface are black, and the upper 
parts chestnut. Its length is about ten inches. 
THE CHINESE JACANA (Parra sinensis') — Plate 27, 
fig. 104 — is an example of a different group of these 
birds, which some ornithologists have elevated into a 
genus, under the name of Hydropihasianus. It is des- 
titute of the fi'ontal plate at the base of the upper 
mandible. Several other species are found in America, 
Africa, and Southern Asia. 
