192 MALAYAN OBNITHOLOGY. 



Rallina fasciata (Raffles.). 



This handsome Banded Rail is decidedly rare; I never shot one, 

 and saw very few in the Malacca collections. It can easily be 

 identified by its richly banded plumage. It is smaller, also has 

 the olive of the back more rufous than Porzana ceylonica. 



Leptoptiltts abgala (Lath.). 



The well-known Adjutant bird of Anglo-Indians is found along 

 the Malayan coasts, but, I think, not so plentifully as the rather 

 smaller and more darkly plumaged L.javanicus. 



In August, 1877, I saw several Adjutants on the mud at the 

 mouth of the Moar river. 



Leptoptiltts jayanicus (Horsf.). The Malay Adjutant. 



Much more common in the Straits than the last-named species ; 

 both, however, there go by the name of " Adjutant bird." I 

 found it plentiful on the mud-flats at the mouths of most of the 

 rivers on the west coast particularly, about the bar at the extranee 

 to the Larut river ; but I never shot one, as on every occasion 

 my baggage was much too limited to allow room for stowing 

 away so bulky a bird. 



It is easily tamed, and invaluable as a scavenger, particularly 

 in a hot climate, where things do not improve by being kept. 

 When quartered at Tanglin, every time I drove into Singapore 

 I passed a pair of these Adjutants, which lived on the grass-plot 

 at the roadside close to the town. They seemed very contented 

 with their lot, never straying far away from one place, and were 

 usually to be seen either perched on a railing, apparently buried 

 in thought, or else gravely stalking along the. edge of a tidal ditch 

 bordering the road, on the look-out for frogs, fish, or pieces of 

 offal that might come drifting down the stream. My dog frequent- 

 ly used to rush and bark at them, when they put themselves into 

 the most absurd attitudes, if very closely assailed bending for- 

 wards with their wings upraised, necks extended, and enormous 

 bills wide open, presenting a most grotesque appearance. 



The detachment of my regiment stationed at Penang bought 

 a pair of these Adjutants from a Malay, and kept them on the 

 race-course just outside the Mess. The following account of the 

 birds, their manners and customs, is given me by an officer of the 



