782 GALLINULA CHLOROPUS. 



Immature. Head and the upper parts olive-brown ; throat whitish and ashy ; feathers of the lower part of the breast 

 greyish, tipped with whitish ; the flank-stripes small and terminated with fulvous ; bill dusky olive, reddish at 

 the base of the upper mandible ; shield small ; legs and feet greenish ; tarsus not so yellow as in the adult ; no red 

 garter above the knee. (October : Wales.) 



An immature example from Manilla corresponds with the above ; the whitish feathers of the chin and fore neck are 

 tipped with blackish. 



Obs. This is one of those species (spread over a large portion of the globe) which not unfrequently exhibit in indi- 

 viduals, and according to locality, external points of difference, but not to such an extent or of such a constant 

 character as to admit of its division into races. It is iu the matter of dimensions and size of frontal casque that 

 the present bird chiefly varies. After an examination of a large series, Mr. Dresser comes to the conclusion that 

 Indian examples differ from European in having a shorter wing and a larger frontal plate, reaching as far back as 

 the anterior corner of the eye, or to within 0-15 inch of it. In the majority of European examples, so far as my 

 personal examination tends to prove, there is a space of about 02 between the eye and the side of the plate ; but 

 there is doubtless some variation in this respect both in India and Europe. Indian examples decidedly appear to 

 average shorter in the wing, as will be seen by a reference to Dr. Scully's measurements above quoted, as also by 

 the fact that Mr - . Hume tabulates his Sindh specimens at from 6 - 9 to 6 - 6 iu the wing*, the smaller of which dimen- 

 sions, however, relates to females. SchlegeFs measurements of Asiatic and Philippine skins are : — Japan, wing 

 6*28 to 6"fi6 ; China, wing 6*18; Philippines, wing 6 - 25 to 6 - 34. The South- African race is smaller than the 

 above — wing 6-05 to 6-3. Blyth's G. burnesi from Sindh is, in all probability, the immature of the present 

 species. It was separated on account of its smaller size, and the outer web of the 1st primary being white, as also 

 the border of the outer winglet-feathers and the orange garter being less developed ; but these characters apply 

 to immature G. chloropus. Besides which, Mr. Hume remarks that the specimens he assigns to this race have 

 a smaller frontal plate, a white chin and throat, and a brown head, nape, and back — all of which are characters of 

 the young of the common Moorhen. The American form (67. galeata) appears to be scarcely separable from the 

 European, possessing merely a longer wing, which, according to Mr. Dresser's measurements of a series, varies 

 from 6-7 to 7 - 4 inches. 



The race inhabiting Madagascar has been separated by Professor Newton as G. pyrrkorrhoa, on account of having the 

 frontal plate larger, the legs yellow 7 , and the under tail-coverts buff. 



Gallinula hmmatopus, Teinm., from Celebes, is closely allied to the present species, but differs notably in wanting the 

 flank-stripes, and the back is slaty bluish, not olive-green. An example in the national collection measures in 

 the wing 7'3 inches, tarsus 2-3. The Moorhen of the Hawaiian Islands appears to be an interesting local form, 

 which, like the last-named, is really a good species, inasmuch as its distinguishing characters do not entirely 

 depend upon the very variable frontal shield, or a difference in size, but upon the coloration of the under surface, 

 which wants the white markiugs on the abdomen, although it possesses the white flank-stripes. The frontal 

 shield is, however, very large, reaching almost beyond the posterior corner of the eyes. It has been lately sepa- 

 rated as G. sandvicensis by Dr. Streets, U.S. Navy. 



Distribution. — The Common Waterlien does not appear to be a permanent resident in Ceylon, or it would 

 be more often met with. It is exceedingly rare in the island ; and I infer it is a visitor from the adjoining 

 coast, wandering south, perhaps, during the prevalence of high northerly winds, and, after it reaches the shores 

 of Ceylon, perhaps becoming stationary. It is possible, however, that, as it is in some parts of the world a 

 bird of passage, migratory stragglers may visit Ceylon, returning again to India. But it has been so seldom 

 observed iu the island that any hypothesis as to its visits must remain mere conjecture until further observa- 

 tions have been made. 



At present I only know of its having been twice met with. Layard, with his usual good fortune, obtained 

 one specimen in a marsh near Pt. Pedro, and thus added the species to the avifauna of Ceylon. Recently 

 a second example came under the notice of my friend Mr. Parker, and was shot in April this year (1879) at 

 Nikawcratiya tank on the Kurunegala and Puttalam road. This is a large sheet of water, and a likely sjiot 

 for such a bird as the Moorhen, which may perhaps inhabit other extensive tanks in the northern district of 

 the island. 



* And if we unite the supposed smaller North-Indian race G. burnesi, Blyth, these measurements fall as low as 

 6'0 inches. 



