154 



RALLID.^. 



Gen. Porphyrio— ^/ /j^. 



Bill very thick; casque large; mid-toe as long as tarsi, slender, not fringed 

 with web. 



Porphyrio poliocephalus, The Purple Coot. 



189. Porphyrio poliocephalus {Lath.), Jerd., B. Tnd. iii. 

 p. 713 ; Ely til, B. Burm. p. 161 ; Butler, Str. F. iv. p. 20 ; Oa/es, Str. F. vi. 

 p. 165 ; Elliot, Str. F. vii. p. 22 ; Legge, B. Ceylon p. 795 ; Murray, Vert. 

 ZooL, Sind, p. 260; Oates, B. Br. Burnt, ii. p. 35 I ; Murray, Avif. Brit. 

 Ind. ii. p. 635, No. 1320. Gallinula poli.icephala, hath., hid. Orn. Suppl. 

 p. Ixviii. Porphyrio neglectus, Scheg. Mus. P. B., Rail/, p. 53; Hujue, 

 Str. F. i. p. 249 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs p. 594 5 ^d., Str. F. iii. p. 185. — 

 The Purple Coot. 



Occiput and nape, lores, and round the eyes greyish, clouded with purple ; 

 cheeks, chin and throat the same, but with more of a purple tinge ; neck in 

 front and breast pale bluish ; lower breast, abdomen, flanks, vent and thigh 

 coverts dark purplish blue ; under tail coverts white ; back of neck, back, rump, 

 and upper tail coverts purplish blue; scapulars, wing coverts and outer webs 

 of primaries pale greenish blue, the inner webs of primaries, secondaries and 

 tertials dark brown or black; tail black, the feathers on the outer web edged 

 wilh bluish. 



Length. — 18 inches ; wing lO to I0'2 ; tail 4-5 ; bill at gape i"62 ; tarsi 3*62 ; 

 mid-toe 3*62 ; casque and spot at base of bill cherry red; bill red; irides red ; 

 legs crimson. 



Hah. — Throughout India, Ceylon and British Burmah ; also in Persia, Beloo- 

 chistan and Afghanistan. Common in Sind in suitable localities, but I do 



