Gallinule ::
Gallinule (n.) One of
several wading birds, having long,
webless toes, and a
frontal shield, belonging to the
family Rallidae. They are
remarkable for
running rapidly over
marshes and on
floating plants. The
purple gallinule of
America is
Ionornis Martinica, that of the Old World is
Porphyrio porphyrio. The
common European gallinule (Gallinula chloropus) is also
called moor hen, water hen, water rail, moor coot, night bird, and
erroneously dabchick. Closely related to it is the
Florida gallinule