192 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 
seven egos, was found at Sughuchak. The nest consisted of 
a mass of rushes and weeds placed amongst ‘ Yesan’ (rush) in 
water about a foot deep. The eggs are broadish oval, moderately 
compressed towards one end, and have little or no gloss. The 
ground color is dull café au lait ; the surface of the egg is 
speckled over with fine purplish-black pin point spots, and in 
addition to these larger spots of purplish black, mostly 
smaller than a pin’s head, are scattered about over theegg. The 
average of three eggs is 2°07 in length by 1:39 in breadth. 
Two of the eggs taken on the 10th June were placed under a 
hen and were hatched; but the young Coots soon died, as, I 
suppose, their foster mother did not know how to feed them 
properly. These nestlings (two days old) have a white horny 
tip to their bills. The forehead and lores are deep red, and on 
the chin, all round the neck and down the back, are long hair- 
like feathers of a beautiful orange color. The general plumage, 
beneath the orange clothing, is greyish black. 
The Turki name for this species is Kashkaldak, 7. e., “ Bald 
brow.” 
905.—Gallinula chloropus, Zinn. 
&. (Cn immature plumage) Yarkand, 20th July.—Length, 
12°3 ; expanse, 21; wing, 6°55; tail, 2°9; tarsus, 1:87; bill, 
from gape, 1:23; closed wings fall short of tail, 1:0; weight, 
6:4 oz. Bill, brownish dusky above, dusky greenish at tip and 
below ; irides, green ; legs and feet, dark shining green ; yellow- 
ish above tarsal joint, claws, black. 
g. Juv. Yarkand, 19th July.—Length, 12°8; expanse, 
19-6; wing, 5°8; tail, 3-2; tarsus, 1-7; bill, from gape, 1:1; 
closed wings fall short of tail, 1-4; weight, 6 oz. Bill, dusky 
at base, dusky green at tip; irides, greenish brown; legs and 
feet, dusky shining green ; claws, brownish black. 
3. Juv. Yarkand, 20th July.—Length, 105; expanse, 16:5 ; 
wing, 4°4; tail, 2°1; tarsus, 1:9; bill, from gape, 1:05; closed 
wings fall short of tail, 1°6; weight, 5°25 oz. Bill, dusky, 
greenish at tip; irides greyish brown; legs, green; feet, dusky 
green ; claws, black. 
9. Yarkand, 17th July.—Length, 12:2; expanse, 21:3; 
wing, 6°9; tail, 38-2; tarsus, 1:8; bill, from gape, 1°05; closed 
wings fall short of tail, 0°6; weight, 6°20z. Bill, greenish 
yellow at tip, base and frontal shield dark crimson red ; irides, 
dark red; legs and feet, fine bright green, with an orange garter 
round bare portion of tibia; claws, black. 
g. Juv. Tungtash, 4th August.—Length, 12°5; expanse, 
18°5; wing, 5°45; tail, 2°9; tarsus, 2; bill from gape, 1:1; 
closed wing's fall short of tail, 2°35; weight, 6°5 oz. Bill, dusky 
