726 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



The Water-rails differ from the last group chiefly by their more 

 lengthened bills. They are divisible however into two groups. 



1st. — With shorter bills, — Hypotanidia, Reichenbach. 



913. Rallus striatus, Linnaeus. 



Blyth, Cat. 1671— Jerdon, Cat. 330— R. gularis, Hors- 

 field — Wade-kodi, Tel. 



The blue-breasted Rail. 



Descr. — Top of head and hind neck dark chesnut ; upper plum- 

 age (including the quills and tail) olivaceous throughout, with 

 narrow white, black-edged bars ; beneath, the chin and throat 

 whitish, the neck, breast, and upper abdomen bluish grey ; the 

 lower abdomen, vent, under tail-coverts, and thigh-coverts, dull 

 olivaceous, with white bands. 



Bill yellowish green ; irides red ; legs dull green, Length 10^ 

 inches ; wing 5£ ; tail If ; bill at front 1^ ; tarsus 1^ ; mid-toe If. 



The young want the ferruginous head and the bluish breast. 



The Blue-breasted Rail is found throughout India, from the 

 extreme South and Ceylon, to the foot of the Himalayas and 

 the Punjab, especially in the cold weather. It frequents marshes 

 and grassy ground by the sides of tanks and rivers, and is most 

 abundant in well-watered districts : it is rare in the Carnatic and 

 Deccan. It extends through Burmah to the Malayan islands. It 

 probably breeds in the well-watered districts of Bengal, &c. ; I 

 found its nest in a swamp below Rangoon, containing six eggs, 

 reddish cream colour with dark red and brown spots. 



To this group belong several species chiefly from the Eastern 

 islands and the Oceanic region ; jR. pectoralis, Cuvier ; R. Philip- 

 pensis, Latham, &c. R. Lewinii, Swainson, from Australia, is also 

 nearly allied, and is made the type of Lewinia by Bonaparte. 



2nd. — With longer bills, — {Rallus, as restricted). 



914. Rallus indicus, Blyth. 

 J. A. S. XVIII., p. 820— Blyth, Cat. 1673. 



The Indian Water-rail. 



Descr. — Above olive brown, with black central streaks ; a dark 

 streak below the eye, continued back over the ear-coverts ; lesser 



