166 Mr. Gordon Dalguesh,


THE MOORHENS AND COOTS OF INDIA.


By Gordon Dalguesh


(Member of the Bombay Natural History Society).

The Moorhens and Coots may roughly be defined as those

members of the Rallidce that have the frontal shield well de-

veloped. They are represented in India by seven species.


These are : —


Family Rallidce.


Genus Amauromis. Reichenb.


i. Amauromis akool. Sykes. The Brown Crake.


Inhabiting N. India, Bengal, Central India, Central


Provinces, Rajputana, the Deccan, Mysore, N. Khasi


Hills, and China.


2. A.phcenicura. Penn. The White- Breasted Water Hen.


Inhabiting the greater part of the Oriental region, in-

cluding India, Ceylon, and Burma, the Celebes and

Formosa.


Genus Gallinula. Brisson.


3. Gallinula chloropus. L- The Moorhen.


Inhabiting nearly all Europe, Africa, and Asia, including

all India, Ceylon and Burma.


Genus Gallicrex. Blyth.


4. Gallicrex cinerea. Gin. The Water Cock.


Inhabiting parts of India, Ceylon, and Burma, the Malay

Countries, China, Japan, the Phillipines, and Java.


Genus Porphy? r io. Briss.


5. Porphyrio poliocephalus. L,ath. The Purple Moorhen.


Inhabiting India, Burma and Ceylon, and S.W. Asia to

the Caspian.


Genus Fiilica.


6. Fulica atra. L,. The Coot.


Inhabiting Europe and Asia with Japan, the Phillipines,

the Malay Archipelago, parts of India and Burma.


Genus Heliopais. Sharpe.


7. Heliopais per sonata. The Masked Finfoot.


Inhabiting Assam, Cachar, Burma, Malacca and Sumatra.



