gallinulin.e. 717 



The Water-cock. 



Descr. — Male, in breeding plumage dull black, the feathers of the 

 back, wing-coverts, rump, and upper tail-coverts more or less edged 

 with light brown; tertlals dark brown, edged with pale whity- 

 brown ; edge of the wing white ; quills dusky, the shaft of the 

 1st quill thick, white ; tail blackish-brown, the outer feathers edged 

 pale brown ; lower wing-coverts dusky, with whitish edges. 



Bill greenish-yellow, fine red at the base ; the crest above one 

 inch long, fleshy red ; irides red ; legs dull red. Length 16 to 17 

 inches ; extent 23 ; wing 8^ ; tail 3i ; tarsus 3 ; mid-toe 3f . 



The female has the crown of the head and a pale streak over 

 the eye unspotted brown, the rest of the body above dark brown, 

 all the feathers edged with pale fulvous, most broadly so on the 

 back, scapulars, and wing-coverts ; edge of the wing and outer 

 web of 1st quill white; quills dusky brown ; lores, cheeks, and 

 sides of the neck plain brownish fulvous ; the chin and throat 

 whitish ; the rest of the lower parts pale brownish-fulvous, the 

 feathers barred transversely with brown, darkest on the flanks, 

 outer thigh-coverts, and under tail-coverts, and whitish on the belly; 

 wings beneath dark cinereous. 



Bill red at the base, greenish yellow at the tip ; irides brown ; 

 legs dull green. Length 14 inches ; extent 22 ; wing 7 ; tail 2| ; 

 bill at gape 1£ ; tarsus 2^ ; middle toe nearly 3. 



The Kora, or Water-cock as it may well be termed from its large 

 fleshy horn, is found in those parts of the country that are well 

 watered, and abound in swamps and thick grassy tanks. In 

 the South of India and in Central India it is far from common, and 

 I have only myself obtained it there in South Malabar ; it is however 

 found in Ceylon, is very common in Lower Bengal, and still 

 more so in the provinces to the eastwards, Sylhet, Chittagong, 

 all through Burmah and, also in Malayana. It affects conceal- 

 ment much more than the Water-hens, running with activity 

 through the thick grass or tangled paddy, or on the surface of 

 weedy tanks. It feeds on rice and other grains, or shoots of 

 various water plants, and also on small molluscs and insects. It 

 is a very noisy bird, and its loud sonorous booming cries, 

 especially during the breeding season, must be familiar to many. 



