POEZANA FUSCA. 



(THE RUDDY RAIL.) 



Ballusfuscus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 262 (1706); Gmelin, ed. Syst. Nat. i. p. 713 (1788). 



Gallinula rubiginosa, Temm. PL Col. 387 (1825). 



Porzana fusca (Linn.), Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. p. 285 (1849) ; Layard, Ann. & Mag. 



Nat. Hist. 1854, xiv. p. 267 ; Jerdon, B. of Ind. iii. p. 724 (1864) ; Blyth, Ibis, 1867, 



p. 171; Holdsw. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 476; Hume, Str. Feath. 1879, p. 113 (List Ind. 



Birds). 

 Orti/gometra rubiginosa, Temm., Kelaart, Prodromus, Cat. p. 135 (1852). 

 Ballina fusca (Linn.), Schlegel, Mus. P.-B. Balli, p. 20 (1864) ; Hume, Str. Feath. 1875, 



pp. 188, 500; id. Nests and Eggs, iii. p. 604 (1875); Salvadori, Ucc. di Born. p. 338 



(1874); Hume, Str. Feath. 1878, vi. p. 467. 

 Limnobcenus rubiginosiis, Sund. Meth. Nat. Av. disp. Tentamen, p. 131 (1873). 

 Bale brun des Philippines, Buffon, PI. Enl. 773 ; Tiklin brun, id. Hist. Nat. ; Brown 



Bail, Latham. 

 Korowaka, Sinhalese ; Neer Jeuruvi, Tamil (MacVicar). 



Adult male and female (Ceylon). Length 7-9 inches ; wing 3-5 to 3-7 ; tail 1-3 ; tarsus 1-3 to 1-45 ; middle toe 1-4, 



■with its claw 1*7 ; hind toe and claw 0"6 ; bill to gape 0-8. 

 Iris orange-red, eyelids reddish ; bill olive-brown ; tibia, knees, and soles dull orange-reddish ; tarsus and top of toes 



reddish brown (September). 

 Forehead, head above the eyes, face, ear-coverts, fore neck and its sides, chest and centre of upper breast dull vinous 



red, enclosing a white chin and gorge ; rest of the head and all the upper surface with the flanks dark greenish 



olive, pervaded with a rusty hue on the rump, upper tail-coverts, and tertials ; quills and tail olive-brown : 



lower breast and abdomen brownish, barred and tipped with white, the whole pervaded with a slight rusty hue ; 



sides of rump and under tail-coverts darkish olive-brown, with wavy bars of white ; under wing-coverts tipped 



with white. 



Young. " These entirely want the rufous tint, and have the entire chin and throat white, and the rest of the lower 

 surface dull olive-brown, mottled or imperfectly barred with brownish white. Towards the end of November 

 they begin to assume the rufous tint, which in their case is ferruginous and lacks the rich vinaceous hue of the r 

 adult, which first appears on the lores, cheeks, and ear-coverts, and then spreads in spots on to the lower throat, 

 breast, &c." (Hume.) 



A bird of the year in Mr. Bligh's collection has the forehead and round the eye only red, the lower part of the cheeks 

 being whitish, and the fore neck and chest greyish, with indistinct barrings of brown and reddish, showing most 

 plainly on the sides of the neck ; upper surface less olivaceous than in the adult. Wing 3-65 inches ; tarsus l - 3. 



Obs. Consequent on Jerdon's description of the legs of this species as green, there have been several remarks on the 

 subject of late years in 'Stray Feathers.' Dr. Stoliczka and Messrs. Oates and Plume testify to their being 

 red, the latter gentleman stating that they are brighter in the breeding-season than in winter. He describes the 

 legs and feet as being " red at all seasons, shaded with dusky on the joints and toes." The amount of duskv 

 colour no doubt varies in individuals, both in winter and summer. I carefully noted the colours in a September 

 specimen, and the tibia were as brightly coloured, if not more so, than any other part. However there is ample 

 proof that Jerdon's description is erroneous, probably due to an oversight in the prepai-ation of his MS. 



This species varies in size. My measurements are taken from three specimens only, and are smaller than those of 

 Indian specimens as recorded in ' Stray Feathers.' Mr. Oates gives the dimensions respectively of a pair, male 

 and female, as :— length 8-55, 7-8 inches ; wing 3-8, 3-75 ; tail 1-75, 1-7 ; tarsus 1-4, 1-46 ; bill from gape 1-0, 0-9S. 

 Mr. Hume's measurements of four female examples from the Calcutta district are: — length 8-5-8-7; wing 

 3-8-4-2 ; tail 2-1-2-2; tarsus 1-4-1-55; middle toe and claw 1-6-1-75 ; bill from gape O'91-l-O. 



