RALLINJE. 369 



Above black with greenish reflections, especially on the wing- 

 coverts ; chin, throat, and breast, pure white ; lower abdomen, 

 vent, and "under tail-coverts, deep chesniit. 



The White-breasted Water Hen occurs in suitable localities 

 throughout our limits ; it is a permanent resident, breeding 

 about August, The rest is placed in a variety of situations. 

 In bamboo clumps, amongst reeds and rushes, upon the ground, 

 and even upon trees. The eggs, four or five in number, are oval 

 in shape, pointed somewhat at one end ; in color they are pale 

 pinkish-stone, more or less profusely streaked and blotched with 

 pale reddish-purple. They measure 1/6 inches in length by about 

 1-18 in breadth. 



SUB-FAMILY, Rallinae. 



Base of the bill not prolonged over the forehead ; beak much 

 compressed; feet somewhat shorter than in Gallinula; body 

 still more compressed. 



GENUS Porzana, Fieill. 



Bill about the length of the head, compressed throughout, 

 moderately slender, very slightly deeper at the base, and somewhat 

 narrowed in the middle ; wings moderate, rounded ; tail very 

 short ; tarsus moderate ; toes rather long, slender, smooth ; claws 

 compressed, sharp. 



Porzana akool, Sykes. 



90S. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 722 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 



Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 21 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. 



IX, p. 431; Swinhoe and Barnes, Central India ; Ibis, 1885, 



p. 135. 



THE BROWN AND ASHY CRAKE. 

 THE BROWN RAIL. 



Length, <?, 10'87 to 12'0, ?, lO'O to lr3 ; expanse, <j, 1575 



to 17-0, ?, 15-0 to 15-82; wing, , 4'9 to 5'3, 9, 4'4 to 



4-9 ; tail, 6 s , 2'4 to 2'8, ?, 2'3 to 2'62 ; tarsus, <j, 1-9 to 21, 



?, 17 to 1-8; bill from gape, <?, 1/3 to 1-68, ?, T2 to 1/4 ; 



weight, <y, 4 to 6 ozs., $, 37 to 4'9 oz. 



Bill green, dusky on culmen ; lower mandible tipped lavender 

 blue ; irides vary from reddish-brown to crimson ; legs and 

 feet dull lake-red in adults in breeding season, darker in cold 

 season ; young birds reddish-brown. 



Above olive-brown, ashy-brown on~rump ; wings and tail dusky ; 

 wing-coverts deep brown ; chin white ; throat, breast, and belly 

 ash-brown ; flanks olive- brown ; lower tail-coverts deep brown. 



The Brown and Ashy Crake is a common permanent resident in 

 Guzerat and parts of Raj put ana ; it does not occur in Sind, and 

 is decidedly rare in the Deccan. They breed twice during the 

 rains, once in July and again in September. The nest is similar 

 to, but smaller than, that of the Water Hen. The eggs vary from 



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