342 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



Length about 10 inches, tail 2'3, wing 5'1, tarsus 1-7, bill from gape 1. 

 The female is of the same size. 



R. mandarina from China, which is said to be the same as R. paykulli 

 from Java, is allied to this and the preceding. The sexes are alike ; the 

 crown and upper part of the neck are olive-brown like the back ; the 

 chestnut of the breast is produced well over the upper abdomen ; the 

 upper wing-coverts are barred with white, and all the primaries and secon- 

 daries are uniform brown without any white bars. 



R. super ciliaris (R. telmatophila, Hume, S. F. vii. pp. 142, 451) inhabits 

 the Malay peninsula and may be found in Tenasserim. It is allied to 

 R. fasciata, but has dark green or blackish legs, a white chin and throat, 

 no barrings on the upper wing-coverts or quills, and the red is everywhere 

 replaced by olive-brown. R. canningi from the Andamans is a beautiful 

 allied species, with the rufous parts of the plumage of a very deep colour, 

 approaching maroon. 



The Malay Banded Rail was procured by Mr. Davison in Tenasserim 

 about Amherst and Tavoy. 



It extends down the Malay peninsula, and is found in the islands of 

 Sumatra, Java and Borneo. It is said to range as far as the Pelew 

 Islands in the Pacific Ocean. 



Mr. Davison found this species frequenting rice-fields surrounded by 

 low brushwood. 



Genus EALLUS, Linn. 



695. RALLUS INDICUS. 



THE INDIAN WATER-RAIL. 



Rallus indicus, Bl. J. A. S. B. xviii. p. 820 j Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 726 ; Hume, S. F. 

 iii. p. 416 j Bl B. Burm. p. 162 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 489 j Legge, 

 Birds Ceylon, p. 778 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 113 ; Hume fy Marsh. Game Birds, ii. 

 p. 257, pi. 



Description. Male and female. The whole upper plumage from the 

 forehead to the tail, the sides of the neck, the scapulars and tertiaries 

 ruddy brown, each feather with a broad black streak down the centre ; 

 wing-coverts ruddy brown, some of them barred with white and with the 

 portion of the feather above and below this bar blackish ; the amount of 

 white barring seemingly dependent on age and very variable ; primaries 

 and secondaries plain brown ; a broad streak passing over the lores ; the 

 eyes and ear-coverts dark brown ; a broad supercilium from the forehead 



