PORZANA BAILLONI. 767 



Young (nestling). " Covered with black down ; bill white ; feet reddish white." (Dresser.) 



Immature. " Differs from the adult in lacking all trace of blue ; the sides of the head are warm ochreous brown, the 

 chin and upper throat pure white ; lower throat, breast, and upper flanks dull brownish ochreous ; centre of 

 the abdomen white ; flanks and under tail-coverts black, barred with white ; upper parts as in the adult, but 

 scarcely so clearly marked." (Dresser.) 



Obs. Allied to this species is P.parva, Scop., which is found in parts of India (Sindh, &c). It may be distinguished, 

 writes Mr. Hume, by having the white markings on the upper surface, which are broader and of a somewhat purer 

 white than in bailloni, " confined, as a rule, to the centre of the back, though occasionally some of the longer 

 scapulars are faintly edged with bluish white." 



The wing varies from 3'75 to 4-1 inches, and the bill at point from 0-7 to 0-76 inch, according to the same authority. 



Distribution. — This little Crake has proved itself to be an occasional straggler to Ceylon, visiting the 

 island in the cold season at the time when, in other parts of the world, it is acted upon by a migratory impulse 

 and moves southwards. 



Two instances of its occurrence are all that are known to me : the first was made known by Layard, who 

 writes (loc. cit.), " a single specimen was brought to me alive from Kotte ;" the second, which came under my 

 personal notice, was that of an individual which was caught on the 22nd of December, 1876, in the compound 

 of Mr. Haly, the Director of the Colombo Museum. It was evidently a new arrival, and the date of its 

 discovery shows that it was a very late visitor of the season. It is highly probable that others came with it ; 

 and in future years examples will, no doubt, from time to time, fall into the hands of collectors. 



Baillon's Crake enjoys a vast range, occurring throughout Europe, except in the extreme north, takes in 

 the whole of Africa, more or less, into its wanderings, extending across. to the island of Madagascar, spreads 

 across Southern and Central Asia to the Philippines, and thence through the Malay islands to Australia. 



It is found throughout India in suitable places, but it does not seem to be common in the south. The 

 Rev. Dr. Fairbank records it from Ahmednagar ; but Messrs. Davidson and Wender did not meet with it in 

 the Deccan. Further north Mr. Ball notes it from Sambalpur on the north of the Mahauadi, from Nowagarh 

 and Karial, and from the Rajmehal hills. Mr. Hume records it from Ptaipur, and notices that it is sometimes 

 obtained near Calcutta and brought into the market for sale ; he likewise notes it from Dacca and 

 Tipperah. 



Westward it is found at Etawah (breeding there), also near Delhi; and at Syree, near Simla, which has an 

 altitude of about 4000 feet, it is common. In Cashmir it breeds, and is doubtless plentiful in suitable localities. 

 In Sindh it appears to be very rare, being replaced there by P. parva, Scop. ; but Mr. Blanford instances a 

 specimen which was obtained at the Manchar Lake. Mr. Adam also records it once from the Sambhur 

 district in Rajputana. I do not find it spoken of by Mr. Oates in Pegu ; and in Tenasserim it appears to be 

 rare, as Mr. Davison only saw it at Tavoy. Concerning its distribution in the Indo-Chinese region, we have 

 not much data ; it probably occurs in winter in Siam and Cochin China, and likewise perhaps in summer, .for 

 Swinhoe records it as inhabiting China throughout in the latter season. It extends northwards to Japan, but 

 does not appear to be common there, Messrs. Blakiston and Pryer only instancing one example in their 

 catalogue, which was procured at Yezo. It visits Borneo in the winter, Mr. Everett having obtained a 

 specimen at Silai in the Bintulu district, which has been described above, and which, according to Mr. Sharpe, 

 is the first that has ever been met with in that island. It appears to have occurred in the Philippines, as 

 there is a specimen in the Leyden Museum procured there by M. Verreaux. 



Returning to the confines of India, we fiud Severtzoff stating that it occurs on passage in Turkestan, and 

 likewise breeds in the north-western and south-eastern districts at altitudes up to 3000 feet. At Yarkand 

 Dr. Scully remarks that it is not at all common, but that probably some individuals breed there. In Palestine 

 Canon Tristram met with it ; and it is said to breed in the Caspian district. It visits the northern shores of 

 the Mediterranean in April, later than which Dr. Giglioni notices that it arrives in the Pisa district. In 

 Sardinia Mr. Brooke says that it is of rare occurrence ; and in Hungary it is likewise uncommon. In the 

 south of Spain it is chiefly a winter resident, as Col. Irby says it is very common from October till February, 

 being met with while snipe-shooting. He also obtained it in May at the Laguna de Janda, and states that 



