THE BIRDS OF NORTHERN THAILAND 105 



always red but in nigrolineata are greenish gray, plumbeous, slaty, or 

 black. 



PORZANA PUSILLA PUSILLA (Pallas) 



Asiatic Little Crake 



Rallus pusillus Pallas, Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des russischen 



Reichs, vol. 3, 1776, p. 700 (Davuria). 

 Pomona pusilla pusilla, Deignan, Journ. Siani Soc. Nat. Hist. Suppl., 1936, p. 81 



(Chiang Mai). 



This little bird, like the water rail, has been found only in the spring 

 months, when the species is necessarily concentrated in the few areas 

 which are still wet. It is known only from Chiang Mai, where I saw 

 one, March 30, 1929, and took specimens, April 26, 1935, and February 

 4, 1936. 



This crake may occasionally be seen at nightfall, feeding at the edge 

 of the marsh vegetation, into which, when alarmed, it scuttles like 

 a diminutive chicken. Considering its small size and the impenetra- 

 bility of its habitat, one may suppose that it is much commoner than 

 would appear from the few records. The stomach of one of my speci- 

 mens contained small snails. 



The bird of April 26 is of considerable interest. It has lost the four 

 outermost primaries on each side, and the new feathers, just appearing 

 from the sheaths, are so short that it is questionable whether it could 

 fly. This fact, in connection with the late date, may indicate that the 

 species stays in small numbers to breed with us. Since the coloration 

 of this example does not quite agree with that of any other specimen 

 I have seen, there is the further possibility that we are concerned with 

 an undescribed race in Thailand. 



The bird just discussed, a female with inactive ovaries, had the 

 irides brown-orange; the bill dark olive-green, more slaty on the 

 culmen ; the feet and toes dark olive-green ; the claws horny brown. 



The adult has the crown, nape, a line through the eye, and the 

 remaining upperparts rufous-brown, everywhere streaked with black, 

 on the back, scapulars, and inner wing coverts irregularly flecked with 

 white; the supercilium, sides of the head, the throat, breast, and upper 

 abdomen soft gray (paler on the throat) ; the remaining underparts 

 closely barred brown and white. The immature is similar but has the 

 underparts largely white, more or less washed with brownish. 



PORZANA FUSCA BAKERI Hartert 



Baker's Ruddy Crake 



Porzana fusca bakeri Haktert, Nov. Zool., vol. 24, 1917, p. 272 (Bhim-tal, 



Kumaon). 

 Amaurornis fuscus bakeri, Deignan, Journ. Siam Soc. Nat. Hist. Suppl., 1931, 



p. 169 (Chiang Mai). 



