200 



THE MALAY PROVINCE 



to Sumatra, Java, and Celebes, but is unknown in Ceylon. Nearly allied is the 

 beautiful water-pheasant (Hydrophasianus chirurgus), which differs from the 

 jacanas by the absence of the naked shield on the forehead, and the possession of 

 elongated middle tail-feathers. This bird is an inhabitant not only of the Malay 

 Peninsula and southern China, as well as Java and the Philippines, but also of 

 Ceylon and India, and is very abundant on the lakes of Kashmir. 



Among the duck tribe, the cotton-teal, the smallest members of 

 the family, are specially distinguished by their goose-like beaks. They 

 occur in Africa, and Australia, as well as in India, China, and south-eastern Asia, 



Cotton-Teal. 



ft^t < C\ I i cj ^* 



WATER-PHEASANT. 



including the Malay Archipelago as far east as Celebes. The Indian species 

 (Ncttopus coromandeliaMux), which frequents sheets of water in which plants are 

 plentiful, is rapid on the wing and has a peculiar call. It generally breeds some 

 distance from the water, in large trees, but sometimes in the ruins of old buildings, 

 laying from eight to ten small white eggs. 



Pelicans and The pelicans are represented in the area under consideration 



Darters. by two species, namely, the eastern pelican (Pclecanus rosrus), 

 ranging over eastern Asia and the Malay Archipelago, and the spot- 

 beaked P. philippensis, which inhabits India as well. More remarkable than 



