on the Moorhens and Coots of India. 167


1. Amaurornis akool* Sykes. The Brown Crake.

This and the next species are more terrestrial in their

habits than the Moorhen or Coot and feeds largely on slugs and

snails and insects. According to Barnes it breeds twice a year in

June or July and August and September.


2. Amaiirornis phcenicurus. Penn.

The White-Breasted Water Hen.

This is a very well known Indian bird and found by nearly

even* piece of water. It is exceedingly noisy, and its loud harsh

cry which sounds like ' Ko rok rok r6k' is often heard day and

night. I once stayed at a house the garden of which was in-

habited by a pair of these birds which kept me awake most of

the night by their cries. They breed during July and August,

making a nest of rushes, placed as a rule near water. They are

most pugnacious birds and I have seen them fighting furiously

with each other. A pair were so engaged 011 one occasion that

I approached to within a short distance of them before they

were aware of my presence.


3. Gallhmla chloropus. L- The Moorhen.

I am of opinion that there are two races of the Moorhen

found in India, namely, the typical G. chlorop?is and a smaller

form the G. parvifrotis or btir?iesii of some writers. Of this

smaller form I once had a considerable number, but unfortunately

as I have no longer the skins to refer to will have to trust to

memory. As far as I can remember they were in colouration

identical with G. chloropus but much smaller, and had a very

small frontal shield. That they were adult birds was proved by

their showing no white on throat and neck, which is a sign of

immaturity in G. chloropus. In Le Messurier's book " The Game,

Shore, and Water Birds in India," the author thus describes

G. burnesii or parvifrons : "The small water hen. $ n£" $ n",

legs olive green. Front plate small or wanting Chin and throat

whiter The italics are mine. Having the chin and throat white

points to immaturity, and these of Le Messurier's must have


* Two other Indian species are included by Blanford {F. B. I. Birds, Vol. IV., p. 170)

under the genus Amauroi iris, viz., A. bicolor and A. fuscus, but I follow Dr Sharpe in

separating them, that gentleman having referred the former to the genus Porzana and tKe^

latter to Limnobceuus, and I think rightly too, as neither can be classed as "Moorhens."



