oe 
10 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
toes are fingle, or without webs, though they are 
broad and flat; the legs are of a yelllowifh green; 
the beak is yellow, at the bafe reddifh ; the body 
black; it has white feathers behind on each fide, 
which ‘it often fhews when it is on the water. 
The forehead of the common Gallinule is bare 
of feathers, and covered with a thick membrane : 
when it flies its legs hang down behind. It fre- 
-quents the water, but does not fwim very much, 
unlefs it be to go from one bank to another. The 
greateft part of the day it is hid under the roots 
of alders or willows; it is only in the evening 
that: it.is feen upon the water; it frequents 
_marfhes lefs than running ftreams and pools; it 
makes a large neft of reeds and rufhes interwoven. 
The female bird leaves the neft every evening, 
but firft covers the eggs with blades of reeds and 
; plants, The moment the young are hatehed they 
-run and follow their mother to the water: the 
mother, for this reafon perhaps, always builds her 
neft near the water-edge. She takes very great 
“care of her young the little time they have occa- 
fion for her help; for they are foon capable of 
providing for themfelves. The parent then lays — 
again, and fometimes hatches three times in a 
08 T hey feed on {mall fith and water plants. 
In ~ 

