448 
RAIL-TRIBE. 
Pigmy Rails. 
A very beautiful little group of pigmy rails inhabit Africa and 
Madagascar, characterised by the soft tail-feathers, almost hidden by 
the coverts. In the South African form (Corethrura rufa) the general colour of 
the upper-parts, sides, and flanks is black, longitudinally streaked with w r hite; the 
inner-quills, lower-back, and tail being spotted with the same colour. The head, 
neck, and chest are rich vinous chestnut, and the breast white streaked and barred 
with black. Andersson, writing from Damaraland, says that “ I have only found 
this species at Oman- 
bonde, where it is 
not uncommon, and 
breeds. It frequents 
stagnant waters, 
thickly fringed and 
studded with aquatic 
herbage, amongst the 
ever-progressive de¬ 
cay of which it loves 
to disport itself and 
to search for food. 
It is very shy and 
reserved in its habits, 
seldom going far from 
effective cover, and 
gliding through the 
mazes of the rank 
mortier’s water-hen. (From Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1867 .) 
vegetation 
tonishing 
swiftness.” 
with as- 
and 
ease 
Water-Hens. 
We 
now come 
to a group, including 
the water - hens and 
coots, which are char¬ 
acterised by having a 
frontal shield at the 
base of the upper bill. 
The South Australian 
Mortier’s water - hen 
(Tribonyx mortieri), 
shown in the accompanying woodcut, is the only representative of its genus, and may 
be recognised by its short toes, which do not exceed the leg (metatarsus) in length, 
its large size, and feeble wdngs, with the primary and secondary quills about equal 
in length. The general colour of this bird is ruddy brown washed with olive, 
shading into greenish grey on the wing-coverts, which are spotted with white; the 
head and neck are dark olive-brown, and the rest of the under-parts greenish grey 
washed with olive, with a large white patch on the sides of the body. Gould states 
