RALLINZE. 725 



912. Porzana ceylonica, Gmelin. 



Rallus, apud Gmelin — Blyth, Cat. 1668 — Brown, 111. Zool., 



pi. 37 — Gall, euryzonoides, Lesson ? 



The Banded Rail. 



Descr. — Whole head, neck and breast bright ferruginous- 

 chesnut, albescent on the chin ; upper plumage dull oliva- 

 ceous ; wing-coverts slightly tinged with chesnut ; quills brown, 

 with a few whitish spots and bars internally ; abdomen, vent, 

 and under tail-coverts rich dark olive, banded broadly with 

 white. 



Bill green ; irides red-brown; legs pale green. Length about 

 10 inches ; wings 5§- ; tail 2§- ; bill nearly 1 ; tarsus If ; mid-toe 

 and claw 1^. 



Latterly Mr. Blyth separated the race from Northern India 

 under the name of P. amauroptera, distinguished by having less 

 rufous on the nape, and by having the wings and tail brown, 

 barely tinged with rufous. 



The Banded Rail resembles the last species in haunts, habits, 

 and distribution in India. It appears to be replaced in the greater 

 part of Malay ana by the more richly-plumaged P. fasciata, Raffles, 

 (euryzona, Temm.) ; but Mr. Blyth writes me that a race bare- 

 ly distinguishable from ceylonica is found in the Philippines. 



Another beautiful species has been lately sent from the Andamans 

 by Col. Tytler, and named by him Euryzona Canningi. It is deep 

 bright ferruginous above, banded beneath, and much larger than 

 ceylonica. Rallina tricolor, Gray, from New Guinea, is also some- 

 what allied to this group, and there are many others scattered 

 through the Malayan islands, and especially throughout Oceanica 

 and the Pacific islands. 



Gen. Rallus, Linnasus (as restricted.) 



Bill more lengthened, straight, or slightly curved down at the 

 tip, slender, grooved for two-thirds of its length ; nostrils linear ; 

 wings with the 1st quill much shorter than the 2nd and 3rd, and a 

 small spur on the shoulder ; tarsus and toes as in Porzana. The 

 feathers of the forehead somewhat spiny. 



