ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM COCOA WATTE ESTATE. 313 



141. Turnix taigoor, Sykes, the Black-breasted Bustard-quail. — 

 Very common. Have taken nests all the year round ; males take 

 part in incubation. Four eggs is the most I have come across in 

 one nest. 



142. Porzana fiisca, Linn., Blyth, the Ruddy Rail. — Have seen 

 it here in the IST.-E. monsoon. Could the -unidentified rail's eoos 

 noted in the remarks on H, striata belong to this bird ? The measure- 

 ments agree well with those Mr. Hume gives for the eo-ag of this 

 species, and are small for those of H. striata. 



143. IlypotoBnidia striata^ Linn., the Blue-breasted Rail.' — Common 

 in suitable spots, but a terrible skulk. Though it has been previously 

 recorded as only a migrant to Ceylon, it is my firm belief that num- 

 bers remain and breed in the island, and that three eggs in my pos- 

 session are those of this bird. They were brought to me at Fort 

 Macdonald in May, 1893, by a native who declared them to belono- to 

 this species. The eggs are exact miniatures of those of E. phcenicura. 

 This year, on July 1st, two more similar eggs were brought me taken 

 here. They were too cracked to preserve, and contained large rail chicks 

 covered with black down. What else could they be but II. striata ? 

 On August 20th this year I watched a pair of these rails feeding 

 in a ditch for some time, and in addition to this, intelligent natives 

 have told me that they often come across its eggs when reapino- the 

 paddy. It might very easily escape notice in the breedino- season 

 when the paddy is high, especially as sportsmen hardly ever o-q near 

 the paddy fields after the departure of the snipe. Two of the ego-s 

 I refer to measure IJ" X §" and ly x g". 



144. Erythra ph(Enicura, Penn., the White-breasted Water Hen. 



Common ; but have only obtained two eggs. 



145. Gallicrex cinereaj Gmel., the Water Cock. — Rather scarce. 

 I have met with ifc a few times at 1,000 feet in N.-E. monsoon but it 

 is most likely resident all the year. 



146. Rhynchcea capensis^ Linn., the Painted Snipe. — Rather scarce 

 in this part of the province. I have never found a nest, thou oh a pair 

 killed on January 5th this year were obviously breeding. 



147. GalUnago sienuraj Blyth, the Pin-tailed Snipe. Very- 

 common in N.-E. monsoon. The first shot in Ceylon this year was 

 killed on August 31st 



20 



