A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF GILGIT, 143 
223.—Porzana bailloni, Viel. (910.) 
A summer visitor in small numbers to the main valleys, 
especially where rice is cultivated. A few pairs breed about 
Gilgit. 
224.—Porzana parva, Scop. (910 dis.) 
This species appears merely to pass through the district in 
spring and autumn. It is found in Sindh in winter; and the 
birds that visit us probably breed further north. I shot 
three specimens in Gilgit between the 5th October and 2nd 
November ; and these agree perfectly with European examples 
of this Rail with which I have compared them. 
225.—Crex pratensis, Bechst. (910 quat.) 
I obtained only a single specimen of the Corncrake at 
Gilgit, on the 8th October; the bird was found on a small 
watercourse which ran by the side of a field of Indian corn, 
The species was never observed on any other occasion. My 
example, a female, measured :—Length, 10 inches; wing, 54; 
tail, 2°25 ; tarsus, 1:5 ; middle toe and claw, 1°5 ; bill from gape, 1. 
The bill was flesh-coloured, grey at the tip; irides brown; feet 
drab ; claws pale brown. The specimen agrees perfectly in 
plumage with English examples with which I have com- 
pared it. 
226.—Rallus aquaticus, Lin. (914 dis.) 
A migratory species in Gilgit, occurring in small numbers 
from the middle of March to the end of April. I did not 
ascertain the date of its passage in autumn; but it does not 
seem to breed in the district, and certainly is not found 
there in winter. My specimens agree perfectly with European 
examples of this species. Jtallus indicus, of which I have 
examined Chinese, Japanese, and Indian examples, is distin- 
guished from &. aquaticus by having a dark brown or dusky 
stripe continued from the lores under the eye and over the 
upper part of the ear-coverts ; but there is apparently no other 
constant difference. 
227.—Ciconia nigra, Lin. (918.) 
Ths Black Stork is found in Gilgit only on migration in 
spring and autumn. Onits passage north it was observed 
from the middle of February to the third week in April, 
sometimes in large flocks of over one hundred birds; in 
autumn it seems to pass over without halting in the district. 
A fine adult male shot on the 16th April measured :—Length, 
