348 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



part of the tarsus and all the toes slaty green ; claws horn-colour ; an 

 orange ring round the tibia, just below the feathered portion. 



Length 12*5 inches, tail 2*7, wing 6'3, tarsus 1-9, bill from gape I'l. 

 The female is rather larger than the male. 



The Common Moor-hen of Europe is found sparingly over the whole 

 Province. In Pegu I procured it only at B onlay, near Thayetmyo ; but I 

 have reason to think it occurs elsewhere in this Division. Mr. Davison 

 met with it at various points in Tenasserim, and Mr. Blyth records it from 

 Arrakan. 



It inhabits the whole of Southern Asia, being found in the Philippine 

 Islands and, according to Dr. Tiraud, in Cochin China. It extends north 

 as far as Japan. It ranges west to Europe and Africa, inhabiting nearly 

 the whole of both continents. 



This species is migratory in some measure over a large portion of its 

 range ; but in Burmah, from what I have observed, I should judge it to be 

 resident. It frequents ponds and swamps, swimming about with ease, and 

 being also able to walk over leaves and vegetation growing in the water. 

 In India it breeds in the rains, making a large nest of grass on the ground 

 on the edge of the water and laying numerous eggs, which are pale buff 

 marked with reddish. 



There are several doubtfully distinct races of this Moor-hen found in 

 various parts of the world ; they differ very slightly from the European 

 bird, and it is hardly necessary to notice them here. 



Genus ERYTHRURA, Eeich. 



700. ERYTHRURA PHCENICURA. 



THE WHITE-BREASTED WATER-HEN. 



Rallus phcenicurus, Penn. in Forst. Zool. 2nd. p. 19, pi. ix. Gallinula phceni- 

 cura, Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 720 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 599 ; id. S. F. ii. p. 300, 

 iii. p. 187 ; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi. p. 466 ; Newton, S. F. vii. p. 415. Erythra 

 phcenicura, Wald. Trans. Zool Soc. viii. p. 94 ; Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 340 ; David 

 et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 486 ; Oates, S. F. v. p. 165 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 691 ; 

 Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 786; Hume, 8. F. viii. p. 113; Bingham, S. F. ix. 

 p. 197 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 242 ; Kelham, Ibis, 1882, p. 188. Porzana phoenicura, 

 Bl B. Burm. p. 161. 



Description. Male and female. Forehead, the feathers over the eye, the 

 sides of the head, chin, throat, lower neck, the centre of the breast and 

 abdomen white; the whole upper plumage, tail and wings deep olive- 



