Birds of Celebes: Rallidae. 713 



The Isabelline "Water-hen of Celebes is a very distinct species , easily 

 distinguished from its nearest allies by the isabelline, or, more properly speaking, 

 rufous cinnamon tint of its plumage, which is intensified into greyish olive-brown 

 on the upper surface. Dr. E,. B. Sharpe has created for it the peculiar genus 

 Oenolimiias. but there is nothing to distinguish it structurally from Ammironiis 

 o/ivacea of the Philippines, the type of the genus Amaiironm, with which genus 

 Salvadori (c 1), Briiggemann (b 4), and Wilh. Blasius (1) have pointed out 

 its affinities. A. phoeniciird does not stand so high on its legs as A. isabelUna, 

 the tarsus being comparatively shorter; this is also the case, though not to a 

 very appreciable extent , in A. moluccana. The white breast and face of the 

 former, and the plumbeous colour of these parts in A. moluccana distinguish them 

 at once from the present species, though their affinity with it is shown by the 

 fianks and under tail-coverts, which are of a similar cinnamon tint in all three. 

 Many Rails, however, which are structurally very different, correspond closely 

 in coloration, so that, in arranging the system in this group, colour cannot be 

 safely referred to as a guide to the nearest affinities. 



Nothing is known of the habits of A. isabellina, which is a rather rare species 

 in European collections and, hence, perhaps in its native island, from the North 

 and West only of which it is known. 



GENUS GALLINULA Briss. 



In the Moor-hen the anterior toes are much longer than the tarsus, the 

 hallux much longer than the first phalanx of the inner toe, the forehead is 

 covered with a shield or flattened comb, and the bill is but little longer than 

 the cranium and about four times as long as it is high across the nostril. The 

 presence of the frontal shield serves to distinguish it from the other Rails 

 occurring in Celebes except from Porphi/rio , in which the stout bill is about 

 twice as long as it is high, and Fuiica, which has the toes lobated. Almost 

 cosmopolitan 



^307. GALLINULA FRONTATA Wall. 

 Red-legged Moor-hen. 

 Plate XLIII. 



(I. GaUinula haematopus [Temm. MS. in Leyden Mus.] (I) ScliL, Mus. P.-B., EalH, 1865, 

 44; (2) Rosenb., Malay. Archip. 1878, 278; (3) Dresser, B. Europe VII, 317 

 (1879); (4) Legge, B. Ceylon 1880, 782; (5) Rosenb., Zool. Garten 1881, 167; (6) 

 Newton, Diet. B. 1894, 590. ^^ 



Gallinula frontata (1) Wall., P. Z. S. 1863, 35, 487; (2) Wald., Tr. Z. S. 1872, Vin, 93; 

 (3) Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1875, VH, 680; (4) Briigg., Abh. Ver. Bremen 

 1876, V, 90; (5) Meyer, Ibis 1879, 142; (6) Salvad., Orn. Pap. 1882, HI, 279; 

 Agg. 179 (1891); (7) W. Bias., J. f. O. 1883, 139; (8) id., ib. 1884, 215, 219; (9) 

 Kutter, t. c. 225; (10) Guillem., P. Z. S. 1885, 560; (11) W. Bias,, Ztschr. ges. 



Mpyer * Wiglcswortli, Birds of Celebes (Def. :ii)i'> 1'<0'I. 90 



