300 Elliot on the JaciDiida. [July 



inner, bronze on outer webs; innermost ones all bronze. Primaries 

 black with a <freen gloss. Frontal shield and basal half of maxilla, blue, 

 with a rose-colored spot on either side; remaining portion of maxilla and 

 the entire mandible yellowish green. Metacarpal spur small and blunt. 

 Legs and feet bluish slate color. The bill, according to Oates, varies con- 

 siderably in color in different individuals. Total length, 10^; wing, 

 (i\\ tail, 2j; tarsus, 2.^ ; bill along cidmen, i^ in. 



Young: — Upper part of head chestnut ; eyebrow brownish white ; back 

 of neck purplish green; sides of head, chin and throat white; front and 

 sides of neck and upper part of breast bright buff; lower breast, abdomen 

 and under tail-coverts white. Under wing-coverts and flanks purplish 

 black. Back and wings pale bronze green. Rump and upper tail-coverts 

 maroon. Tail has median rectrices bronze ; remainder pale chestnut, 

 barred diagonally Avith greenish black and bordered with white. The 

 young is stated not to assume the adult plumage until the second spring 

 moult. 



Hahitat. India, Itulo-Burmese Countries, Sinni, Coch in- 

 China (Oates), Ceylon (Temminck), Java (Horsiickl), Suma- 

 tra? Borneo? (Salvadori). 



Oates states that this species is spread over a greater part of 

 India, Indo-Burmese countries, Siam and Cochin-China. It has 

 the habits of the Water Hens, frequents swamps and ponds that 

 are covered with floating phuits, over which it easily walks. As 

 a rule it is very tame, and takes wing reluctantly. It breeds in 

 the rainy season, and the eggs, usually six in number, are pale 

 bulf, thickly covered with tangled black lines. 



Metopidius albinucha. 



Parra albiuuclia Geoff. St. Hil. Mag. Zool. 1S32, cl. II, pi. 6. — Roch 

 & Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 172.— E. Newt. Ibis, 1S63, p. 45S. — Schleg. 

 Mus. Pays-B. Ralli, 1S65, p. 70; ib. P. Z. S. 1866, p. 425.— Poll. & 

 Van Dam. Rech. Faun. Mad. 1S68, p. 136. — Finsch «& Hartl. Vog. 

 Ost. Afr. 1870, p. 783. — Hartl. Vog. Madag. 1877, p. 352. 



Parra atricollii Swains. Anim. Menag. 1S3S, p. 334, sp. 160. 



Adult: — General plumage of the body cinnamon brown; nape and sides 

 of head, throat ami front of neck black; back of neck white. Front of 

 head bare, bluish black. Wings cinnamon brown like the body, prima- 

 ries black with a greenish gloss. Upper tail-coverts white. Tail reddish 

 cinnamon, tips of middle rectrices greenish black. Bill bluish black at 

 base, inclining to horn color- at the tip. Feet and tarsi apparently a bluish 

 black. Wing, G\ in. ; tail, zh in.; bill, \\ in. 



Habitat. Madagascar (St. Hilaire, Hartlaub). 



