714 PORPHYRIO 



Hob. The shores of the Caspian, east to India, Ceylon, 

 Burma, and Tenasserim. 



In habits it does not differ from P. cceruleus, and its nest is 

 also similar. In India it breeds from July to September, 

 depositing 6 to 8, and sometimes as many as 10 eggs, which 

 resemble those of P. cceruleus, but are rather smaller, paler, 

 have fewer and r smaller markings, and average T93 by T39. 



997. ALLEN'S GALLINULE. 

 PORPHYRIO ALLENI. 



Porphyrio alleni, T. R. H. Thompson, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. x. 

 p. 204 (1842) ; Dresser, vii. p. 307, pi. 502 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. 

 Mus. xxiii. p. 187. 



Canbonja-anganga, in West Africa. 



ad. (Africa). Crown, nape, and sides of head black tinged with 

 ihdigo-bliie ; hind neck and upper parts deep olivaceous glossed with 

 parrot-green ; quills and tail bluish black ; wing-coverts cobalt-blue tinged 

 with green ; under parts deep blue, becoming blackish on the lower 

 abdomen and thighs ; under tail-coverts, except the lowest layer, white ; 

 bill dark red ; frontal shield dusky ; tarsi and feet crimson ; iris reddish 

 brown. Culmen, with frontal shield, 1'85, wing 6'1, tail 2'6, tarsus 2'1 

 inch. 



Female similar. The young bird has the head and hind neck rufescent 

 sandy brown, the sides of the head paler ; upper parts umber-brown 

 margined with clay-ochreous, the rump tinged with greenish blue ; chin, 

 upper throat, and middle of breast and abdomen white ; lower throat, 

 sides of neck, breast, and flanks warm ochreous clay, the under tail-coverts 

 more rufous ; thighs chiefly bluish black ; bill and frontal plate reddish 

 horn ; legs pale reddish brown ; iris light brown. 



Hob. Africa generally ; Madagascar, and a straggler to the 

 island of Rodriguez ; of rare and accidental occurrence in Italy 

 and Spain ; and also, it is said, in Madeira and the Canaries. 



In habits it is said to resemble Gallinula chloropus. It 

 inhabits dense reed and papyrus thickets, and is shy and 

 secretive. Its call-note is described as harsh, and is generally 

 heard in the morning and evening. It feeds on aquatic plants, 

 seeds, worms, and insects. So far as I can ascertain, nothing is 

 on record as to its nidification, but an egg in the British 

 Museum, extracted from the body of a bird shot on the Ruo 

 river, British Central Africa, is pinkish cream-colour, marked, 



