396 ■ nCRMA, ITS PEOl'Lt: ASU riiODCCTIOSS. 



Fainili/ Himantopodidse. 



The ' Stiltshanks ' differ from the Snipes in tlieir slender bills, very long legs, 

 and mode of colouring. Tliey fly with a peculiar tern-like call, and are said to swim 

 well. The hind toe wanting. 



HiM.v.NTOPUs cAXDinrs, Bonatcrrc. Arakan. Pegu. Tenasserim. 



If. intermedius, Blyth. 



It is rather doubtful if there is really more than one species throughout Europe 

 and Asia. 



Famili/ Parridae. 



Feet enormous, claws long. Females larger than the males, a fact which militates 

 against their association with the plovers. 



Parea ecdica. Lath. Arakan. Pegu. Tenasserim. 



Gates describes this bird as stupidly tame, and making itself a nuisance by 

 getting in the way of the duck shooter. It lays several olive-brown eggs, very 

 handsomely lined with black. 



Htdeophasiasus CHiEUEGrs, Scop. Arakan, and rarely in Pegu and 



Tenasserim. 



The eggs of this handsome bird arc pyriform and of a spotless bronze-brown 

 or green. 



Famihj Rallidse. 

 Bill cuneifonn. Legs stout, feet large. Tail short or wanting. 



GALLINULIX^i;. 



The ' wafer-hens ' have the base of the bill prolonged into a thick horny casque 

 covering the forehead. Many of them are extremely finely coloured. They all lay 

 spotted eggs. 



PoEPHYEio poLiocErHAXus, Lath. Arakan. Pegu. Tenasserim. 



PoDiCA PEESONAiA, Gray. Cachar. Pegu. Tenasserim. 



"These very rare birds in Tenasserim," remarks Col. Tickell, "arc met with 

 in shady deep narrow streams in forests, whether in the tideway or remotely inland. 

 They swim rapidly, but seldom dive ; and although eminently aquatic in conformation, 

 resort, strange to say, for safety to land. Scrambling up the steep banks when shot 

 at, and running with unex])ectcd rapidity into dense thickets, its flight is like that 

 of the Coot, or Water-hen, squatteriug along the surface of the water." 



Gailicrex cineeeus, Gmel. Arakan. Tenasserim. Andamans. 



G. cristatus, Lath. 

 FuLicA ATEA, L. Arakan. 



Gallintla ciiLORoprs, L. Arakan. Pegu. 



G. PHiENicTJEA, Pennant. Arakan. Pegu. Tenasserim. Andamans. Nicobars. 



EALLIN^. 



The Rails are smaller than the Gallinules and less social, and keep much to 

 swamps and dense herbage, through which their narrow compressed body enables 

 them to thread their way. They swim well, but fly l)adly. 



PoEZANA MAEUETiA, Brisson. Arakau. 



P. PYGMiEA, Naumann. Arakan. Andamans. 



P. FuscA, L. Pegu. . 



Hume says this must be rare in Tenasserim. 



