genus Plotus. On the lower part of the belly and vent, the feathers are tipped with greyish white, which prevails more or less on the centre of these parts, and on the flanks, where the oil green predominates, the feathers are dashed with long streaks of white; the true under tail-coverts are white, but the feathers of the vent are deep black, and run in upon them in an angular point; the naked parts of the tibiæ are bright vermilion-red, shading to yellow, and often appear conspicuous; the feet and legs are olive green. In the female the colours are not so bright, and the frontal shield does not cover so large a space. In a specimen before us, the rump is barred at the tips of the feathers with deep brown and pale yellowish-brown, producing a pleasing arrangement. In the young, the frontal shield is scarcely visible, the whole plumage has a tint of brown spread over it; on the throat brownish-white, and on the lower parts being yellowishbrown, paler in the centre of the belly, and nearly wanting the white longitudinal streaks seen in the adults; the feet and legs are of a duller tint. The young, when newly hatched, are covered with a hair-like black down.

COOTS.

THE last form among the British Rallidae is still more aquatic than the preceding, swimming freely, and diving expertly for its food.

FULICA, Linn.-Generic characters.-Bill strong, compressed; culmen gently curved to the tip, and forming a large frontal shield; nostrils oval, medial, pervious, pierced in the membrane of the nasal furrow; maxilla with a considerable apical angle; wings of middle length, rather pointed, second quill considerably larger than the first; legs rather short, strong, feathered nearly to the tarsal joint; feet large; toes long and slender, cleft to the base, and bordered with a broad lobed membrane; hallux articulated on the same plane, bordered with a continuous membrane; claws sharp, gently curved, compressed.

Types, F. atra, Americana, &c. Europe, Asia, Africa, America.

Note.-Swim and dive with facility; pursue their food under water; partially maritime; flight powerful; breed among herbage growing in the water; lay numerous eggs.