( *44 ) 
!The Little American Water Hen. 
T HIS Bird is here figured of its natural Size. It is in Shape 
and Colour fomething like our Water-Rail, but a little lels, 
and differs from it principally in having its Bill but half the Length of 
the Rail’s Bill. 
The Bill is firaight, pretty thick at its Bafe, ending in a Point; 
the Noftrils are placed in Grooves near the Edges of the upper Mandi¬ 
ble; it has a little Baldnefs at the Bafe of the upper Mandible, run¬ 
ning into the Forehead, as in the Coot. The whole Bill is of a fine 
yellow Colour; the Bafe of the Bill is encompaffed round with black 
Feathers, narrow above, but on the Throat extending downward near 
two Inches; the Sides of the Head all round the Eyes, the Sides of 
the Neck, and the Bread are of a light, pleafant, blue Afh-Colour; 
the Top of the Plead, Elinder-part of the Neck, the Back, Wings 
and Tail are all of a brown Colour; the middle Parts of the Feathers 
being Dusky, fo that they appear Brown with blackifh Spots; the leffer 
Coverts of the Wings are wholly Brown; fome of the middle Quills 
and their Coverts have whitifh Edges; the Edge or Border of the Wing 
is White; the Covert-Feathers within Side of the Wings are White, 
with faint tranfverfe dusky Lines. The Belly, Thighs, and Coverts 
beneath the Tail are White, with a faint Cloud or Shade of Brown ; 
the Sides, from the Bottom of the Neck to the Tail are White, with 
broken tranfverfe Lines of Black, with a little Brown intermixed; the 
Legs and Feet are large in Proportion to the Bird, and of a dull green 
Colour; the Toes are long, the middle Toe being of an equal 
Length with the Leg below the Knee ; it is bare of Feathers above the 
K nees. 
Th is Bird was brought from Hudfon's-Bay by Mr. 1 (ham, and I believe, hath ne¬ 
ver been defcribed. I find in Mr. Catejby' s Hift. of Carolina , &c. Vol. I. P. 70. a 
Bird of this Species, which I imagine may be the Lien of the above defcribed. He 
calls it the Soree . I have alfo received a fmall Water-Hen from Sweden, which comes 
very near Mr. Catejbf s, on Comparifon with it: Mine differs principally from Mr.- 
Catefoy s, in having; a blueifh Neck and Breaft, a black Throat, and Ring round its 
Bill, and a whiter Belly. 
The 
