714 Birds of Celebes: Rallidae. 



Orn. 188G, 156; (12) Vordcrm., N. T. Ned. Ind. 1SS6, XL VI, 239; (13) Heine 

 & Rchnw., Nomencl. Mus. Hein. 1S90, 318; (U) Buttik., Weber's Reise Ost- 

 Ind. 1893, in, 282; (15) Sharpe, Cat. B. 1894, XXm, 168; (16) M. & Wg., Abli. 

 Mus. Dresd. 1895, Nr. 8, p. 17; (17) Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1896, (2) XVI, 

 118; (XVIII) Meyer, Vogelskel. 1897, H, pi. CCXXXVI. 



••Rembang ketjil" (= Snuill Eembang, Porphyrio being the Great Eembang), North Celebes, 

 ]\Ieyer 5. 



"Rembang", Tondano, Nat. Coll. 



"Weri" [Gorontalo], v. Rosenberg a 3. 



For further synonymy and references cf. Salvadori 6, Sharpe 15. 



Figure and descriptions. Meyer A[^I'/7/(skel.); Schlegel n 1; Wallace 1; Briiggemann 4; 

 Salvadori 6; Sharpe 15. 



Adult. Dark slate, of a bluer tinge above, becoming black on occiput and face; passing on 

 lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts and inner remiges into dark greenish 

 olive; other remiges brownish black; tail black; remiges below and greater 

 under wing-coverts shining brownish slaty; feathers of abdomen slightly tipped 

 with whitish; under tail-coverts buff-white, the middle ones black; a shield-plate 

 covering forehead and crown "orange-red; bill darker red, yellow at tip; tarsus red, 

 olive-green at the joints; iris reddish" — Guillem. 10 (^ ad. Tomohon, 15. V. 94: 

 P.&F. Sarasin). 



Sex. The sexes are similar in coloration. 



Immature. The frontal shield-plate very small; the olive of the upper surface extending on 

 to the mantle; under surface much paler, viz. pale mouse-grey, some of the feathers 

 on lower breast and sides tipped with whitish; bill in the skin yellow-greenish (Ton- 

 dano neighbourhood, Aug.— Sept. 1892: Nat. Coll. — C 10960). 



Measurements. In four adult QQ the wings are 187, 198, 200, 201 mm; in eight other 

 adults — sex not determined — 188, 189, 190, 190, 192, 19.i, 200, 206. It would, 

 therefore, appear that Prof. W. Blasius is in error in holding the female for smaller 

 than the male. Tail ca. 70; tarsus 57, mid. toe with claw 79; bill fi-om lores ca. 29. 



Eggs. "The eggs are very similar to those of Gallinula chhropus" (Nehrkorn MS.). 

 Kutter suggested that the ground-colour is somewhat warmer, more brownish — 

 perhaps an indi\'idual difference. 45 X 32.2 mm and 43.5 X 33 mm (S. E. Borneo — 9). 



Distribution. S. E. Borneo (Grabowsky S); Celebes — IVIinahassa (Meyer 5, Fischer 4, 

 etc.), Gorontalo Distr. (Rosenb. a 1, a 5, Riedel 11, etc.), Palima on Gulf of Boni 

 (Weber 14), Macassar (Wallace 15); Burn (Wallace 1, 15); Amboina (Hoedt a i, 

 6); Flores (Wallace 1); S. W. New Guinea (D'Albertis 6, Goldie 15). 



This Moor-hen is easily distinguishable from GaUinula chhropus. which is 

 also recorded from Celebes, by its wanting the broad streaks of white on the 

 sides of the body, by its red legs, and larger size. It is more closely related 

 to G. tenehrosa Gld. of Australia, which differs in having yellow and green legs, 

 and in the paler colour of its under surface. From Amaurornis, which has often 

 been united with it, GaUinula differs in possessing a frontal shield of horny 

 substance, a weaker bill with the nostrils situated more anteriorly, longer 

 toes, etc. 



Next to nothing has been recorded of the habits of the Red-legged Moor- 

 hen, which no doubt closely resemble those of the Common Moor-hen of Europe, 

 though differences might probably occur to attentive observers. Grabowsky 



