788 ERYTIIRA PIKENICUEA. 



only source of irrigation at the disposal of the inhabitants living in these forest-regions. It affects the shores 

 of moderately brackish lagoons, which are surrounded by mangroves and other jungle, such as the Amblan- 

 goda, Kogalla, and Panadure lakes ; but it is not found on the salt-lagoons of the Eastern Province. It 

 extends into the hills to a moderate elevation, keeping to the well- watered valleys in the Kandy district ; and 

 it may be frequently observed about the terraced paddy-fields of the Kandyans. I have known it occur in 

 this part of the Central Province up to 2000 feet elevation. In Uva, however, it ascends much higher, 

 frequenting the country lying between Badulla and Fort Macdonald, so that it must reach an altitude of more 

 than 3000 feet in this district. 



It is very abundant in suitable localities throughout peninsular India, not ranging, however, in any great 

 numbers towards the north-west of the empire, where its place is taken by the preceding species. It is common 

 in the Carnatic, and, according to Messrs. Davidson and Wender, it is likewise so in the Deccan ; near Maha- 

 baleshwar it is recorded by the Rev. Dr. Fairbank from the Koina River. It is not uncommon about Bombay. 

 Further north, on this side, it becomes rarer. Captain Butler says it is tolerably common at Milana ; but in 

 Guzerat and about Mt. Aboo generally it is rare. Mr. Hume writes, notwithstanding, that he has seen many 

 specimens from Mt. Aboo, but none from Northern Guzerat or Judhpoor; and in Sindh it occurs only along 

 the canals ; in Cutch and Kattiawar it is also found, but not commonly. The province of Sindh appears to be 

 its limit in this direction. Turning to the east I observe that Mr. Blewitt found it breeding in Saugor, Raipur, 

 and Sambalpur ; and Mr. Ball remarks that it is occasionally met with in Chota Nagpur, afterwards instancing 

 in his list Lohardugga, Sirguja, Raipur, Nowagarh, and Karial as the localities where he observed it. 

 Mr. Ciipps writes that it is very common in Furreedpore; and Mr. Hume notes that it is from time to time 

 brought into the Calcutta market, so that it cannot but be plentiful in the neighbourhood of the capital. Iu 

 Upper Pegu Mr. Oates found it common; and Captain Wardlaw Ramsay procured it at Tonghoo. In the 

 Province of Tenasserim it is pretty common in suitable localities, being recorded by Messrs. Hume and Davison 

 from Paphoon, Wimpong, Kance, Pabyouk, Amherst, Tavoy, and Bankasoon. In the Malay Peninsula it was 

 procured at Malacca by Eyton. 



In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands it is found everywhere in suitable localities ; and Mr. Davison found 

 it common about creeks in Achcen (NAY. Sumatra) ; it has likewise been obtained in Sumatra by S. Muller, 

 and recently in the Lampong district by Mr. Buxton. In Java it is not uncommon, and has been procured 

 there by Horsfield, Boie, and Diard ; the same may be said of Borneo, where it has been recorded from 

 Sarawak, Baujermassing, Brunei, and other localities. It likewise inhabits the adjoining island of Labuan, 

 and it has been procured in the island of Bauca, between Borneo and Sumatra. In Celebes it has been 

 obtained in various localities by several travellers, and recently by Hcrr Meyer at Menado and Kakas. I 

 have above recorded a specimen from Timor which I believe to belong to this species. In the Philippines 

 Yon Martens procured it at Zamboanga, in the island of Mindanao. Turning north to the eastern coasts of 

 the mainland we find it inhabiting South China and Formosa, according to Pere David and Swinhoe ; but we 

 have no record of its ranging into the northern parts of the Celestial empire. 



Habits. — The White-breasted Waterhen, which is, in a great measure, the Ceylonese representative of the 

 Moorhen, like it frequents the borders of tanks, swamps, morasses, wet paddy-fields, brooks, ponds, and, in fact, 

 any spot containing fresh water of permanent duration. It is much more of a " skulker," however, than its 

 European relative, and is capable of frequenting the margins of some pool or pond close to one's house for 

 months without often giving one a chance of seeing it, although its extraordinary and unbird-like cries do not 

 fail every morning and evening loudly to proclaim its whereabouts. It prefers situations where the banks are 

 overhung with bushes or densely matted with screw-pines (its favourite retreat) to reedy sedgy spots, although, 

 where such exist at the margins of large tanks or swamps, it does not refuse to affect them. In cultivated 

 country among the villages of the interior it is frequently seen away from water, frequenting the vicinity of 

 thick hedges and damp scrub, into which it quickly darts when it espies the sportsman, although it does not seem 

 to mind the presence of natives in its vicinity. It runs with great speed, and, according to my observation, 

 rarely ever takes wing, and very seldom enters the water ; in fact it has more the habits and nature of a Rail 

 than a true Waterhen. When roused out of a screw-pine or other tree in which it may have been perched, 

 it will fly a short distance and with moderate speed, but it quickly drops to the bank and runs under cover. 



