ITS BALLIDJE.- 



In males the bill and shield are red, anterior portion of bill 

 duller; irides red; eyelids plumbeous; legs and toes red (Gates). 

 In females the bill is yellowish horny ; irides yellowish brown ; 

 legs and feet dusky green. 



Length of male 17 ; tail 3 ; wing 8-5 ; tarsus 3 ; bill from gape 

 1-7. Length of female 14 ; tail 2-6 ; wing 7 ; tarsus 2*6. 



Distribution. Common in the damp warm swampy plains of 

 India, Ceylon, and Burma, especially in Bengal, Cachar, Assam, 

 and Pegu, also in the Andamans, parts of Ceylon and of the 

 Malabar coast ; rare in drier tractsf though specimens have been 

 obtained in Sind, Cutch, Guzerat, and Kajputana; wanting in 

 general in hilly regions. Outside of Indian limits this bird 

 is found throughout the Malay countries to China, Japan, the 

 Philippines, and Java. 



Habits, $c. The Water-cock hides in the thick vegetation of 

 swamps, in grass or rice cultivation, and in brushwood, and is 

 more often heard than seen, being crepuscular or nocturnal in 

 habits. It has a loud booming cry, uttered especially during the 

 breeding-season. It is often kept tame in Dacca, Sylhet, and 

 Assam ; tame males, according to Mr. Cripps, being employed to 

 capture wild birds of the same sex. The Water-ccck is said by all 

 to be excellent eating : its food is mainly vegetable. The breeding- 

 season is in July and August, the nest being a mass, varying in 

 size, of rushes, grass, &c., amongst reeds or on floating leaves 

 of lotus and singhara (Trapa\ and the eggs are stone-coloured 

 with spots of brownish red and pale purple, and measure about T7 

 by 1-27. 



Genus PORPHYRIO, Brisson, 1760. 



The Blue Moorhens are distinguished at once by coloration and 

 by the thick, compressed, rather short and high bill, small rounded 

 nostril not placed in a groove, and broad frontal shield covering 

 all the anterior portion of the crown and squarely truncated 

 behind. The wing is rounded, the first quill about equal to the 

 6th or 7th ; 2nd, 3rd, and 4th subequal. Tarsus and toes very 

 long. Sexes alike. 



About 13 species are known from Africa, Madagascar, the 

 Mediteranean region, Southern Asia, the Malay Archipelago, 

 Australia, Kew Zealand, and the Pacific islands. One species is 

 Indian. 



1404. Porphyrio poliocephalus. The Purple Moorhen. 

 Gallinula poliocephala, Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl. p. Ixviii (1801). 



p. c>9 ; Ball, ibid. p. 229 ; Cripps, ibid. p. 305 ; Hume, Cat. no. 902 ; 



