12 THE GENUS PORPHYRIO AND ITS SPECIES. 



may hereafter be found in Tenasserim. In a number of the 

 Indo-Malayan Islands, the P. calvus is found, and this species 

 extends its range through the Moluccan and Papuan groups of 

 the Australian region to the islands of the Pacific region, the 

 most eastern of which is the Samoan group. In the Philip- 

 pine Archipelago the P. pulverulentus is found, but the parti- 

 cular island or islands of which it is a native, is not at present 

 known. 



The Australian region, besides the species in the island 

 groups already mentioned, contains the P. bellus, Gould., 

 abundant in the south-western parts of Australia, while the 

 P. cyanocepkalus, Vieill., is universally distributed over the 

 greater part of the Continent and also in Tasmania ; and has 

 been obtained in Yule Island, New Guinea. 



This last-named species is also met with in the Pacific region, 

 being a native of New Zealand, the Chatham Islands and 

 New Caledonia. 



Genus Porphyrio. 



Type. 



Porphyrio, Briss. Ornith. (1760), Vol. V., 

 p. 522 ... ... ... P. chloronotus, Vieill. 



Ccesarornisj Reich. Nat. Syst. Vogel., p. 

 xxi. (1852). ... ... ... P. poliocephalus, Lath. 



Characters, — Bill strong, thick, compressed at the base ; the 

 maxilla curving abruptly at its apical half; the gape also slightly 

 curved. Top of head covered by a thick plate or bony shield, 

 in some individuals almost developed into a casque. Nostrils 

 open, slightly oval, not surrounded by a membrane, placed 

 high upon the maxilla, nearer the culmen than the commis- 

 sure, nearer the base than the tip. Wings, moderate ; the third 

 and fourth quills longest. Tail rather short. Tarsi strong, rather 

 thick ; toes very long ; middle toe longer than tarsus, bordered 

 by a narrow membrane ; claws very long, much curved, acute. 



Key to the Species. 



A. Occiput and back of neck black ; legs 



and bill red. 



(a.) Cheeks black; back greenish black. 1. P. cyanocepha- 



lus, 

 (b.) Sides of head turquoise blue ; 



back dark blue ... ... 2. P. veterum. 



B. Head, neck and under surface, deep 



blue ; back brownish-black ; legs 



grass green ... ... 3. P. bellus. 



C. Breast turquoise blue. 



(a.) Occiput, sides of face and chin 

 black ; back and rump blackish- 



