BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 465 



approach, keeping 1 well out in the middle where the water was 

 covered with rank grass and weeds ; I saw a few at Yeaboo on 

 the Attaran, and a few at Kedai Keglay. — W. D.] 



The following are dimensions, &c, of a male and two 

 females : — 



Male. — Length, 17*0, expanse, 32*0 ; tail from vent, 3'8 ; 

 wing, 10-05 ; tarsus, 3"8 ; bill from gape, 1*7 ; weight, 1*25 lbs. 



Females.— Length, 16*5, 16-6 ; expanse, 31'25, 31-5 ; tail 

 from vent, 4-0, 475 ; wings, 9-9, 10-0; tarsus, 3'55, 3-7; 

 bill from gape, T4, 1*5; weight, 1-2, 1*25 lbs. 



Legs and feet pale red, brown at joints ; bill and casque deep 

 red, but tinged brown in places ; hides deep red. 



903.— Fulica atra, Lin. (2). 



Kedai-Keglay. 



The only place where Davison noticed this Coot was at Kedai- 

 Keglay between the Salween and the Sittaug, where it was 

 comparatively abundant. 



903 bis — Podica personata, G. R. Gr. (3). Descr. 

 S.F., III., 186. 



Amherst ; Mergui ; Bankasoon. 



Very sparingly distributed throughout the province. (Da- 

 vison also procured it near Malacca, and it has been obtained 

 near Suddya at the extreme N. E. of Assam.) 



[I found this a very rare bird. I have seen it some six or 

 eight times. I have seen and shot them on the sea coast, and 

 in mountain streams far in the depths of the forests. It is 

 very shy, and when alarmed runs quickly into cover. It 

 walks freely, and runs quickly, but holds its body in a pecu- 

 liar way, not upright like a Penguin, nor horizontally like a 

 Water Hen, but at an angle of about 45 degrees to the 

 ground. It swims very deep, like Plotus, with only the head 

 and neck visible above the surface of the water ; when it rises, 

 ,it strikes the water for several yards with its feet, but flies 

 comparatively strong when once fairly on the wing, not, how- 

 ever, rising high. Those that I examined had eaten a number 

 of small dark shells, and various insects, and the stomach of 

 one contained a quantity of a green substance that looked -very 

 much like mashed-up leaves. The flesh is delicious, dark 

 colored but very juicy and highly flavored. If it could be tamed 

 it would form an invaluable addition to European poultry 

 yards.— W. D.] 



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