66 MANUAL OF PHILIPPINE BIRDS. 
The nest is placed on the ground and well concealed among reeds or 
bunches of grass; usually situat near water or marshy ground. The 
eggs vary in number from four to ten, and are usually much spotted 
and streaked. The downy young are coal-black. 
Family RALLIDZ. 
Characters same as those given for the Order. 
Subfamilies. 
GE LOGS Wao WeDSLOT LODC Sa. pea scsee ken nese ce nee ee ee Ralline (p. 66) 
Gs VOCS LOD AEG coc cence ans cees sets vate cae chet eranok ccs suaaes eater ea es Mats eee os an seta Fulicine (p. 81) 
Subfamily RALLIN&. 
Genera. 
a. No frontal shield. 
b'. Bill more slender; exposed culmen equal to middle toe without claw. 
Hypotenidia (p. 66) 
b°. Bill stouter ; exposed culmen much less than middle toe without claw. 
c’. Culmen not swollen at base; wing less than 140 mm. 
d', Tarsus longer than middle toe with claw......................... Rallina (p. 69) 
d@. Tarsus about equal to middle toe with claw or shorter. 
e', Culmen decidedly longer than hind toe with claw; under tail-coverts 
banded with white. 
f'. Smaller; wing, 90 mm. or less; forehead, throat, and breast slate-gray. 
Porzana (p. 71) 
f?. Larger; wing, 100 mm. or more; forehead, throat, and breast chestnut. 
Limnobenus (p. 73 
e*. Culmen but little longer than hind toe with claw; under tail-coverts 
umbanded) eii.28 18a. CARAS Tk Cok Sea ee as Poliolimnas (p. 73) 
e*, Culmen slightly swollen at base but not forming a frontal shield; wing 
Teaaneyey guises We AAO) oi cata dese ease Semeue rea EAL A) See a os tees Amaurornis (p. 75) 
a’, Frontal shield present; legs and feet long and heavy. 
b‘. Nostrils elongate; frontal shield narrower; terminal half of bill green or 
yellowish green. 
ce’, Under tail-coverts pure white; tarsus less than 65 mm.. Gallinula (p. 77) 
c¢. Under tail-coverts not white; tarsus more than 75 mm.. Gallicrex (p. 78) 
6°. Nostrils small and circular; frontal shield wider; bill all red. 
Porphyrio (p. 80) 
Genus HYPOTAINIDIA Reichenbach, 1852. 
Bill slender ; abdomen and flanks black or brown, banded with white. 
Species. 
a. Chin white; upper parts more or less spotted with white. 
b*. Smaller; wing less than 125 mm.; breast uniform; no white eyebrow. 
‘ striata (p. 67) 
b°. Larger; wing more than 140 mm.; breast barred with black and white; a 
white: eyeb LO w= ia Eee eee philippensis (p. 67) 
a: Chim black; ‘upper, parts umiformad......00... eee ee torquata (p. 68) 
od 
