80 MANUAL OF PHILIPPINE BIRDS. 
of dusky brown; lower flanks rather more uniform ashy brown; under 
tail-coverts more tawny, with dus) rown cross-bars ; under wing-coverts 
and axillars uniform ashy brown, the edge of the wing white; quills 
uniform ashy brown below. Length, 305; culmen 38; wing, 173; tail, 
66; tarsus, 68; middle toe with claw, 91. 
“Young.—Resembles the old female, but much more tawny everywhere, 
especially on the sides of face, neck, and under parts, the latter being 
much more narrowly and indistinctly barred with dusky brown than in 
the adult birds.” (Sharpe.) 
“A male and female adult from Catanduanes in the vem buff 
plumage of autumn and winter. Neither Dr. Sharpe, in his Catalogue, 
nor any other author, so far as I am aware, makes the slightest reference 
to the autumn change of plumage which is so marked in the male, only 
the breeding dress being described, in which the whole of the hind neck 
and under parts, as well as the general color of the upper parts, are black. 
In the fully adult male before me the whole of the under parts from the 
throat downward are pale buff with rather fine, somewhat wavy, brownish 
black bars, except on the middle of the belly, which is paler and nearly 
devoid of markings; the under tail-coverts have the ground-color more 
rufous-buff; the rest of the plumage also resembles that of the female. 
The latter does not appear to have any different breeding plumage, or, 
if she changes, the feathers are very similar to those of the autumn dress.” 
(Grant.) 
“Abundant about paddy-fields in some localities. It nests on the 
ground in these fields, and the natives found a number of nests for us 
while cutting rice. They call the bird tug-tug from its note.” (Bourns 
and Worcester MS.) 
In an adult male from Sibuyan, June 7, 1904, the head and mantle 
‘are light slate-gray with dark centers to the feathers and the lower parts 
are pale slate-gray with numerous light colored cross-lines. Frontal 
shield and bill to proximal edge of nostril scarlet ; base of lower mandible 
scarlet; rest of bill pea-green ; legs dull green; nails dark gray. Length, 
432; wing, 241; tail, 86; bill from gape, 37; bill from nostril, 21; 
tarsus, 81; middle toe with claw, 94. 
In an adult male from Guindulman, Bohol, June 3, 1906, the head, 
face, and lower parts are largely black and except on top of head, the 
greater number of the feathers are fringed with pale buff or white. 
Length, 419; wing, 235; tail, 87; bill from gape, 36; bill from nostril, 
19; tarsus, 77; middle toe with claw, 94. 
Genus PORPHYRIO Brisson, 1760. 
Bill stout and very deep; nostrils circular; frontal shield broad, cover- 
ing the entire forehead, its posterior border square; legs and toes very 
long and heavy. 
