GA-LLINULA T ENE B ROSA, Gould.
Sombre Gallinule.
Gallimla tenebrosa, Gould F„éb:. 24, 1846.
aSsjl'-specU.., ofjGallmule mhabits the sedgy hanks creeksSpm water-holes. I frequently encountered
i t inNew'South.Wftles, particularly in the neighbourhood o f the Upper Hqnter; and I also possess
specimens colleqtedi'omthe banks oM je Murray in Eolith Australia, io^^h^ence o f any white marks
.qpithnflanks forms a good specific character, and atgopce distingui-ln-rirhitej^Iliniilc'fi om most o f the Other
memhers.ofrthe genu. Incize rt cJpisiiifrrhlv i xieed^the Gallimla cAloroptu ofOBurope; and that gartered
above tile k n u r ls , srill mgru'ftiUiant, with rul and'yejlow. Both on the open muddy banks and
among the tangled herbage jK h ê 'water’s qdge, it readily,pities pursuit by runiyng with great swiftness
M o a place^of saf tv It -ivim. vvliktomulcrïhle_ep|è and.buoyancy^ and whileglidingover the quiet sur-
face.i#the water;-seeks its food; which consists o f various aquatic insects antf-small-shelled mollusks, among
the floating herbage, ; ■ ' * ’
the. sexes. I Imd, llmi.’like lim ope,in, species, they differ ingjgejaod that although the
* female 5 smaller, tbag, q|r mate? th|J^^Spf^^Bill are often Mgnter than in the male.
!§d bpmpletely do the habits and economy of this species resemble those of the cdfer. members of the
. genus, thaf,a repetition of what has,been so fte^^tlli^escribed'.is'qp'te unnecessary.
T hé wh oleoftb i plnuiaqr'grfu^h black, ^itffthe exception o f t^ h a s t ’ and scapularies, which are deep
brown,pqd--t3ipimaries and,Jt | iC 'w l% l£ w ^ ^ l j fv a pure black; under- tail-coverts black m tSie centre
l i p white g i f the sides; frontal plate orange; bale P f , blood-fejjtip greenish yellow ;abpv e the
knee a garter t j^ ^ w 'a n d scarlet; joints o f t h e f^ a n d fe e tg r e en ,| f || e r surface o f the legs and feet
dive-;’ sides o f the. tarsiumd frontal plates f fe th e ft fe s ’. yellow; frontal'plates of the tarsi yellow, tbo aj
nearest the koee s ta in e d ^ ^ scarlet i indesplive" - ’
The BgG&Wt» accompanying Plate is a trite thqn the natural size, apjferas takes from a
female.