334 



bluish, with light edges to the feathers; iris pale red, with the inner edge mottled with brown : bill 

 red; legs and feet reddish, with the joints brownish. 



Young in down {fide Mr. H. Parker) covered with black hairs ; bill white, the sides at the base crimson ; 

 casque purple or lilac ; legs reddish purple, toes lilac ; spur on the winglet lilac and very prominent. 



When, in 1876, I published in the 'Birds of Europe' (vii. p. 299) the article on the Purple 

 Gallinule, I was under the impression that the common European Purple Gallinule's range 

 extended as far east as the Caspian, as, indeed, it was then stated to be the case by all authorities 

 on European ornithology. Since then, however, I have received examples from the Caspian, 

 and have convinced myself that the species found there is identical with the Indian Gallinule, 

 Porphyrio poliocephalus ; and as Gmelin's specific name of veterum, which I used for this and 

 the South-European species when I considered them to be identical, cannot stand, this present 

 species will stand as Porphyrio poliocephalus, and the Porphyrio which inhabits Spain, Algeria, 

 Sardinia, and Sicily will, as shown by Dr. Sclater (Ibis, 1879, p. 196), stand as Porphyrio 

 cceruleus ( Vandelli). 



The range of this species extends just within the limits of the Western Paleearctic area on 

 the shores of the Caspian, and occurs eastward throughout the whole of India and Ceylon, 

 and is found throughout Burmah. 



Dr. G. Eadde says (Orn. Caucas. p. 381) that he only met with it in the vast reed-beds of 

 Lenkoran, where it is a resident, and is often very numerously to be met with during the winter. 

 Pallas (Zoogr. Eoss.-As. ii. p. 157) records it from the Terek River, but it has not been observed 

 there by any later explorer. Dr. Radde remarks that he has seen specimens from the Lower 

 Volga, and (Vog. Transcasp. p. 97) that according to Mr. Jasewitsch it occurs numerously on 

 Lake Delili on the Lower Atrek, and that Mr. Nikolsky speaks of a Porphyrio as being found 

 at the mouth of the Giirgen. 



Mr. Blanford did not meet with it in Persia, but states that there is a specimen from 

 Bagdad in the British Museum. Both Col. Swinhoe and Sir O. St. John met with it at Quetta 

 in Afghanistan, and the former records it from Kandahar, and Mr. A. O. Hume says (Stray 

 Feath. i. p. 249) that it is exceedingly abundant in some of the rush-overgrown lakes of Sindh. 

 According to Dr. Jerdon it is " found throughout India and Ceylon wherever there are reedy 

 lakes, extensive marshes, or reedy rivers," and Blyth states that it is to be met with on the 

 eastern side of the Bay of Bengal to the Tenasserim provinces. Mr. Oates (B. of Brit. Burmah, 

 ii. p. 351) writes that it is " found over the whole of Burmah except perhaps the southern half 

 of Tenasserim, where Mr. Davison does not appear to have met with it." 



In Cochin China, Saigon, and Bankok an allied species is said to occur, Porphyrio edioardsi, 

 Elliot, which, Mr. Elliot says (Stray Feath. vii. p. 23), " differs from P. poliocephalus in being 

 darker on the back of the head, in having the blue of the breast of a darker shade, and specially 

 in having the upper parts, including the wings, greenish black, instead of the purple back and 

 rump and greenish-blue wings of P. poliocephalus, ." Swinhoe mentions, under the name of 

 Porphyrio coslestis, another species from Southern China, which he describes as resembling 

 P. poliocephalus, but having a white rump; but this is considered to be a doubtful species, 

 or perhaps it may be a partial albino. 



