7G. ROSTKATULA. 083 



70. ROSTRATULA. T 



type. 



Rostratula, Vieill. Analyze, p. 00 (181(5) R. capensis. 



Rhynchnea, Cuv. Regne A/iim. i. p. 487 (1817) R. capensis 



Range. The Ethiopian, Indian, and Australian Regions, ranging 

 into China and Japan. Southern portion of the Neotropical Region. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Wing-coverts uniform, lined across with 



black, or with white, but never golden 

 spots. 

 a'. Throat chestnut, as also the collar round 



the hind-neck capensis $? , p. 683. 



b'. Throat and chest sooty black ; a chestnut 



patch on the hind-neck australis $ , p. 690. 



b. Wing-coverts uniform blackish, except for 



some large ovate spots of white ; throat 



and sides of face sooty black semicollaris $ J ,p. 690. 



c. Winir-coverts with ovate spots of golden 



buff; upper throat white; fore-neck li^ht , . „ QO 



, ' r ? ' ° capensis J , p. 683. 



brown { I . ,- r fun 



j australis cJ , p- 690. 



1. Rostratula capensis. 



The Bengal Water Rail, Alhin, Nat. Hist. B. iii. p. 86, pi. 90 (1740). 



Le Chevalier de Bengale, Briss. Orn. v. p. 209 (1760). 



La Beccassine de Madrast, Briss. torn. cit. p. 308. 



La Beccassine du Cap de Bonne Esperance, Briss. op. cit. vi., Suppl. 



p. 141, pi. vi. 

 Seolopax capensis, Linn. Si/st. Nat. i. p. 246 (1766) ; Bodd. Tab!. PI. 



Enl. p. 16 (1783); Gm, Syst Nat. i. p. 666 (1788); Lath. Ind. 



Orn. li. p. 716 (1790) ; li'affi. Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii.'p. 32? (1822). 

 Rallus benghalensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 263 (1766). 

 Becassine du Cap de Bonne Espe"rance, Jj'Aubent. PL Enl. viii. 



pi. 270. 

 Beccassine de la Chine, D'Aubent. torn. cit. pi. 881. 

 Beccassine de Madagascar, D'Aubent. torn. cit. pi. 922. 

 La Becassine du Cap de Bonne Espe"rance, Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. vii. 



p. 494 (1780). 

 La Beccassine de la Chine, Biff. torn. cit. p. 495. 

 La Becassine de Madagascar, Huff. torn. cit. p. 495. 

 Le Chevalier vert, Biff. torn. cit. p. 520. 

 PLa Beccassine blanche des Indes, Sonn. Voy. Lnd. Orient, ii. p. 218 



(1782). 

 Seolopax chinensis, Bodd. Tabl. PI. Enl. p. 53 (1783). 

 Seolopax madagascariensis, Bodd. torn. cit. p. 65. 

 Cape Snipe, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 1, p. 138 ( 1785). 

 Cape Snipe, var. A, Lath. torn. cit. p. 188, pi. lxxxi. 

 Cape Snipe, var. 15, Lath. turn. cit. p. 139. 

 Cape Snipe, var. C, L.ath. turn. cit. p. 139. 

 Cape Snipe, var. I), Lath. torn. cit. p. 140. 

 Madras Snipe, L.ath. turn. cit. p. 141. 

 '- White Indian Snipe, Lath. torn. cit. p. 141. 

 ? Seolopax indica, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 667 (1788) ; Lath. Lnd. Orn. 



ii. p. 718 (1790). 



