THE INDIAN WATER-RAIL. 343 



to the end of the ear-coverts plumbeous grey ; chin and throat plumbeous ; 

 cheeks, fore neck, breast and centre of the abdomen plumbeous ashy, the 

 feathers more or less fringed, according to age, with ruddy ; sides of the 

 abdomen and sides of the body, axillaries and vent blackish, barred with 

 white ; under tail-coverts white, each feather with a large black patch in 

 the centre ; under wing-coverts black margined with white. 



Bill dull red, dusky on the culmen and tip ; i rides red-brown ; legs and 

 feet dirty pale green. (Jerdon.) 



Length 10 inches, tail 2'2, wing 5'2, tarsus 1'6, bill from gape 1*6. 

 The female is very slightly smaller. 



The only differences which I can discover between the present species 

 and R. aquations are the following : In R. indicus there is a broad brown 

 band covering the lores, passing through the eyes and occupying the 

 central portion of the ear- coverts ; the sides of the neck are streaked with 

 black like the upper plumage, and the feathers of the fore neck and breast 

 are always more or less fringed with ruddy. In R. aquaticus there is no 

 streak on the side of the head, the whole of that part, together with the 

 sides of the neck, the fore neck and breast, being a clear deep plumbeous 

 ashy. The dimensions of the two races are about the same. 



The Indian Water- Rail is said by Mr. Blyth to occur in Arrakan, and 

 Mr. Shopland informs me that he has procured it in that Division. 



It occurs in Northern India from Bengal up to Nipal, and it is recorded 

 from Ceylon. It is probably found throughout the Indo- Burmese coun- 

 tries. I have examined specimens in Mr. Seebohm's collection from 

 various parts of China and Japan, and find them to be identical with the 

 present species. It is said to extend into South-eastern Siberia. 



The Indian Water-Rail is migratory, visiting India, and of course 

 Burmah also, only in the cold season ; but, as with other species of this 

 family, comparatively little is known about its movements. 



This bird frequents patches of grass and brushwood in marshy localities 

 and is excessively shy, seldom showing itself, and being driven out of its 

 cover with great difficulty. 



