Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/293

280 enter the grassy cover at his feet, he hears almost the next moment at the farthest end of the field, with no indication of its transit, except such as was revealed by a narrow line of motion which shot along the waving surface.

With respect to the other distinctive characters of the Family, we may mention that the beak is in general short, and greatly compressed, frequently running up in a sort of shield upon the forehead; the tail is excessively short, and nearly hidden by the coverts; it is usually carried erect. The toes are all on the same level.

In this genus the beak is short, compressed, pointed, high at the base, where it ascends on the forehead in a broad shield; the nostrils pervious, and pierced in a wide furrow, in the middle of the beak. Wings short, concave, the second or third quill longest; the shoulder armed with a small spine, not projecting. Legs rather short, strong, naked a little above the heel; feet large; toes long, and rather slender, divided to the base, bordered with a narrow membrane; hind toe comparatively short; claws compressed, very acute. Plumage soft and thick, but loose in texture.

In all our lakes, large ponds, and still rivers, particularly such as are fringed with thick brushwood, or coarse weeds and rushes, the Common Gallinule or Moor-hen (Gallinula chloropus, .) is a well-known bird. It is of a dark olive-brown hue on the upper parts, the head, neck, breast, and sides, dark lead-grey, becoming almost white on the belly: the beak and the feet are