166 EALLID.C. 



and Burma, in suitable localities, and as far west as Afghanistan 

 and Baluchistan. This Crake has been obtained at the Andaman 

 Islands. Throughout Western Asia arid Europe it is replaced by 

 the closely allied Baillon's Crake, P. intermedia (Herm.), dis- 

 tinguished by having the sides of the head grey, without any brown 

 stripe through the eye and ear-coverts. A specimen from Deesa 

 is intermediate in character. 



Habits, $c. Though a large proportion of the birds found in 

 India are probably migratory, some breed throughout the country 

 and even in Tavoy. A large number breed in the Lower 

 Himalayas, but many appear to go farther north. Like the last 

 species, this Crake is sometimes found running on floating- water- 

 plants and it swims well, but it is more often met with in reeds 

 or swampy grassy thickets or wet cultivation. Tbe call is loud 

 a single note repeated slowly at first, then more rapidly, ending 

 with a sharper note. The breeding-season is July, August, and 

 September in the plains of India, June and July in the Himalayas. 

 The nest is of rush or similar material amidst water and grass or 

 reeds, and the eggs, 6 to 8 in number and measuring about 1*16 

 by -87, are pale olive, thickly freckled and indistinctly mottled 

 with faint dusky clouds and streaks. 



1394. Porzana maruetta. The Spotted Crake. 

 Eallus porzana, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 262 (1766). 



Butkr, S. F. v, p. 215; vii, p. 187: ix, p. 432; Hume, Cat. 

 no. 909 ; Hume 8f Marsh. Game B. ii, p. 213, pi. ; Biddulph, 

 Ibis, ;i881, p. 98; Scully, ibid. p. 590; Reid, S. F. x, p. 73; 

 Davidson, ibid. p. 322 ; Gates, B. B. ii, p. 345 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. 

 p. 370 ; Sharpe, Yark. Miss., Aves, p. 147. 

 Porzana porzana, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxiii, p. 93. 



Gurguri-khairi, Beng. ; Venna mudi-kodi, Tel. 



Coloration. Upper plumage and tail rufescent olive-brown with 

 white spots and streaks ; all the feathers, except the wing-coverts, 

 with more or less concealed broad black central stripes ; inner 

 borders of tertiaries pale brown ; the white markings on the back 

 are longitudinal streaks, those on the tertiaries zigzag, on wing- 

 coverts fewer and V-shaped, all black-edged; border of wing 

 white; quills dark. brown, olive-brown on exposed margins: outer 

 edge of first primary white ; broad and long supercilia, cheeks, 

 chin, and throat dark grey, all speckled with white posteriorly ; 

 lores black with a whitish streak above; a brown band from 

 behind each eye, including the ear-coverts and extending to the 

 side of the neck, which is of the same colour and sprinkled 

 throughout with white spots, more or less dark-edged; breast 

 grey, washed with brown and similarly spotted ; abdomen white, 

 passing into buff on the vent and under tail-coverts; flanks and 



