720 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



The next species (with one or two other allied ones) differs slightly 

 in type and habits, and has been separated as Erythra, Keichenbach. 



907. Gallinula phcenicura, Pennant. 



Rallus, apud Pennant — Blyth, Cat. 1661 — Jerdon, Cat. 

 333 — Sykes, Cat. 202 — G. Javanica, Horsfield, Zool. Res. 

 Java, pi. — Dawak, or Duhak, or Dauk, H. — Boli-kodi, Tel. — 

 Kureyn of Gonds — Kurayi, in Sindh. 



The White-breasted Water-hen. 



Descr. — Above black with greenish reflections especially on 

 the wing-coverts ; chin, throat, and breast pure white ; lower abdo- 

 men, vent, and under tail-coverts deep chesnut. 



Bill greenish yellow, orange on the ridge ; irides blood-red ; 

 legs green. Length 12| inches ; extent 21 ; wing 6^ ; tail 2£ ; bill 

 at front 1^ ; tarsus 2| ; mid-toe and claw 2f . 



The White-breasted Water-hen which is placed by Blyth, as a 

 Porzana, is quite intermediate to the Gallinules and Rails ; but 

 its size and mode of coloration ally it more closely to the former 

 than to the latter. Unlike the others of its kind, however, this 

 species prefers thickets, hedge-rows, and patches of thick jungle, 

 often at some distance from water ; and it is often seen in gardens 

 and close to villages. It comes out into fields, gardens, &c, to 

 feed, and when approached runs to its covert, with great rapidity 

 and erect tail ; it climbs with facility through the thick shrubs and 

 reeds, and is dislodged with difficulty. Near villages it is often 

 very tame. It feeds both on grain and insects, and has a loud 

 call. 



Theobald found the nest, in a jheel, made of weeds, containing 

 seven eggs of a brownish-cream colour, spotted and blotched with 

 brownish red. It is found throughout India and Ceylon, extending 

 through Burmah into the Malayan isles. 



Three or four species of this genus are recorded, all from the 

 Eastern Archipelago. Gray admits three other genera of Gallinules, 

 Limnvcorax, Amaurornis, and Porphyriops, the latter remarkable 

 for its thick bill ; Habroptila, from Africa, is also closely allied. 

 Ocydromus, Wagler, (Galllrallua, Lafr.) an Australian group, is 



