PORZANA? IMMACULATA.
S p o tl e s s p a lU i l i j l'e , - ?-t
Gallinula immaciilata, Swains. An. in Menag., p. 337.— lb. '{Class, of Birds, vol. ii. p. 358.
Waf-ra-jah, Aborigines of tKe^lbwl^d dist^pts^of Western Australia.
Little Swamp Hen of the Colonists.
I b eliev e I am correct*™ stating that this species is universally distributed o>er the whole of Australia,
ttaia Diemen’s Land, andl'tbe islands in B an ’s Straits. ■ Aly'^tJ^iiWontains specimens from every one o f
the colonies,'4 atf/of w h i c p ^ c l o s e l y e a c h ot^er, tl&gihey.scareely exhibit sufficient difference to
, onstitut/-lm'dl^varif' tit-~. Like the other members o f ■ B S B S iffiii bird is very rfeelifie in its habits, and
seldom to be seen, although it is tolerably abundaht iiMW is tr icfs of a wet and Swampy character, where
thick reed-beds, and the sedgy hanks of rivers oe^laggoBjS constitute its most favourite places o f abode.
When urged by necessity it swims with grace and elegance, and sports about with ease among the floating
leaves o f aquatic plaflts in search"■ o f snails and‘.other mollusks, -of which,- with insects, seeds, and the
tender blades o f grasses and other .vegetables, its food consists. It rarely takes vying, scarcely ever indeed
unless forced tjOrddso.
The sexes, which are precisely alike, may be thus deaenbetb'-jagg
Head and all theuuder surface dark slate-grey, becoip^g.nearly_v|hiW on the chin; back, wing-coverts
and tertiaries rich deep reddish brown j bill blaclq i r id e s '^ e y ^ a ^ bright redj" feet and legs dull brick-
red.
Tbd'figure's are of the natural siae.