180 Asiatic Society. [No. 134. 



ing plumage is common during the rainy season. To the list of Rallidce may be added 

 Gallinula lugubris, Horsfield, and Rallus (?J rufescens, Jerdon: but I have scarcely 

 obtained any examples of this group during the past season, as no shikaree has regu- 

 larly brought them ; whereas formerly one came daily with a cageful of Porzana 

 maruetta and P. Bailloni, with occasionally other species, as P. rubiginosa, Rallus 

 aguaticus and R. Javanicus, &c. For remarks on the Indian species currently refer- 

 red to Gallinula chloropus, vide p. 887: it is distinct from the European chloropus, of 

 which J have lately seen a specimen killed in the Mauritius; being inferior in size, 

 with constantly a much less developed frontal shield : hence I propose that it should 

 be termed G. parvifrons : Mr. Jerdon informs me, however, that he thinks he has 

 lately obtained the true chloropus, additional to the smaller species, in Southern 

 India. 



The specimens of Podiceps cristatus formerly mentioned, I have since ascertained 

 to have been from the Cape of Good Hope ; and up to the present time have only ob- 

 tained P. minor, which is abundant. 



Of Anatidce, there have been no additional species : and the only remark I have to 

 make is that Fuligula nyroca has been far from plentiful last season, whereas in 

 the preceding one it was particularly abundant. A. boschas has never occurred, though 

 so many of the common British species are at least equally numerous in this neigh- 

 bourhood. 



In the Society's Museum is a specimen, received from the Cape of Good Hope, of 

 the Fuligula mariloides lately characterized in Mr. Yarrell's ' History of British 

 Birds.' Being well acquainted with F. marila, though the Museum does not contain 

 a specimen of it, I never could assign the present bird to that common British species, 

 and it remained unlabelled till the arrival of the number of Mr. Yarrell's work 

 containing the figure and description of F. mariloides. The Society's bird is, however, 

 conaiderably less bright in colour than that described by Mr. Yarrell, being probably 

 a young male. Head and neck as in the description referred to, but the crown much 

 darker, or glossy reddish-dusky, passing as a line down the back of the neck ; lower 

 part of the neck and sides of the breast dusky, the middle of the latter dark brownish, 

 becoming gradually paler on the belly; sides a little speckled, and the feathers 

 margined with light rusty-brown; whole upper-parts dusky-brown; interscapularies 

 margined with pale brown, and all minutely speckled with the same ; wings brown- 

 ish-dusky, a little speckled anteriorly, the coverts of the secondaries white at base, 

 forming the speculum, and tipped with dusky; most of the tail-feathers margined 

 with dull whitish ; and a light colcothar tint upon the flanks : length of the closed 

 wing eight inches and three-quarters ; of the bill to forehead an inch and three- 

 quarters. I can feel no doubt of the specific identification. 



The two very similar species of Ring Plover must now be reverted to, the descrip- 

 tion of which has been postponed (p. 179). 



Charadrius Geqffroyi (?),. Wagler. For this presumed identification I am indebted 

 to Mr. Jerdon. Length eight inches and a half to eight and three-quarters, by seven- 

 teen and a quarter to eighteen inches in extent ; wing from bend five inches and a 

 quarter to five and five-eighths ; and tail an inch and seven-eighths to two inches : 

 bill to forehead an inch; and tarse an inch and a half. Winter plumage greyish- 

 brown on the upper-parts, ear-coverts and beneath the eye, and sides of the breast ; the 



