262 G A L L I N U L E.
YELLOW-
BREASTED G.
Description.
Yellow-breafied Gallinnle, Ar£t. Zoel, N° 410.
O I Z E fmaller than a ^uail. Crown and hind part of the
neck dark olivaceous brown, fpotted with white : back plain
brown : fcapulars edged with yellowilh white : bread dirty yellow
: legs brown.
Place. Inhabits the province of New Tork.
16.
+• SOREE G.
Rallos Carolinus, Lin. Syfi. i. p. 263. 9.
La Poule-Sultane de la Baye d’Hudfon, Brif. Orn. v. p. 541. 9.
Le Râle de Virginie, Buf. Oif. viii. p. 165.
Little American Water-Hen, Edw- pi. 144.
Soree, Catejb. Car. i- pl. 70.— Burnab. Trav. p. 16. 42.—Arft. Zool. N° 409»
Lev. Muf.
D escription. ^JpHIS fpecies is the fize of a Quail, but dands higher on its
legs : length from feven to eight inches. Bill an inch long,
and yellow : over the forehead fomewhat bare; irides red': the
crown, and the upper parts of the bird, are dull brown, fpotted
with black : the whole face, round the bill, the chin, and .part of
the neck before, black : fides of the head, the neck, and bread,
blueifh alh-colour : belly and fides dufky white ; the lad tranfPlace
and
Manners.
verfely barred with black : the wing coverts are the colour of the
back, but plain ; fcapulars edged with white : outer edge of
the wing white : quills and tail brown : legs dufky green.
Thefe inhabit Virginia, at certain feafons, in vad plenty. Burnaby
* mentions catching one hundred dozen of SoruJJes in one
* Burnab. Trav. p. 42, alfo p. 16.—He here calls them more delicious than
the Ortolan.
G A L L I N 17 L E. a 63
night, by the Pamunky Indians in Kifig William's Country. “ The
w manner of taking thefe birds is remarkable. The Sorus is not
“ known to be in Virginia, except for about fix- weeks from the
“ latter end of September: at that time they are found in the
“ marlhes in prodigious numbers, feeding on the wild oats. At
“ firft they are exceeding lean, but in a fhort time grow fo fat as
“ to be unable to fly : in this date they lie upon the reeds, and
“ the Indians go out in canoes, and knock them on the head
“ with their paddles. They are rather bigger than a Lark, and
st are delicious eating. During the time of their continuing in
H feafon you meet with them at the tables of mod; of the Planters,
“ breakfaft, dinner, aad/upper.”
La Poule-Sultane tachetée* Brif Orn. v. p; 538. 8. *7»'
La Grinette, Buf. Oif viii. p. 179» GRINETTA G
Poliopus, Gallinula minor Aldrov. Rail Syn. p. 114. 5.
A fmall Water Hen, called Grinetta, Will. Orn. p. 315- pi* 58.
Small Water Hen, Albin, ii. pi. 73.
T ESS than the Water Rail1: length nine inches and three quarters;
Bill ten lines long; colour of it and the hides yelhead
and upper parts black, with rufous margins; thofe of the
back have the margins likewife fringed with white : over the eye
a white dreak : the throat blueifh afh-colour : fore part of the
neck and bread: the fame, with an olive tinge, and fpotted with
black; , belly and thighs pale rufous : fides tranfverfely barred :
black andjwhite : wing coverts rufous, marked with tranfverfe, .
waved, or zigzag lines: quills dufky brown, edged outwardly with •
white: tail the fame, but the two middle feathers white on both.
Description*