234 THE WHITEY-BROWN CRAKE. 



heavily, Rail-like, with the legs hanging down behind, and was 

 knocked over before it had got far. 



Lieut. H. R. Kelham, of H. M's. 74th Regiment, writes to me : — - 

 " As regards P. cinerea, though for over six months I was daily- 

 shooting among the swamps and jhils of North Perak, I never 

 met with either it or the Ruddy Banded species, though Hypo- 

 tcenidia striata was rather common. 



" My experience has been that P. cinerea is not found in 

 wild, jungly districts, but frequents low-lying, cultivated 

 country. 



" I have shot it in Province Wellesley, and towards the 

 end of September it literally swarms in the paddy fields of 

 Singapore, particularly in those which are knee-deep with 

 the filth which the Chinamen carry out from the town and 

 spread over the fields. About sunset I have seen dozens of 

 these Rails come out of the reeds and bushes bordering the 

 paddy fields and commence to feed, scuttling away to the 

 covert when alarmed." 



NOTHING IS known of the nidification of this species. 



A MALE measured in the flesh : — 



Length, 8*5 ; expanse, 12*0 ; wing, 3*62 ; tail from vent, 

 2' 1 2 ; tarsus, 1*4; bill from gape, ro ; weight, 2^25 ozs. 



The legs, feet and claws were clear grass green ; the upper 

 mandible greenish brown ; the lower dark oil-yellow ; edges 

 of eyelids litharge red ; irides dull lake. 



Another male measures in the skin :— 



Wing, 3"68 ; tail from vent, 1*85 ; tarsus, 1*34 ; bill from 

 gape, 0*92. 



Of this specimen, the legs and feet were green ; the bill 

 brownish red ; and the irides orange red. 



Of one shot on 24th September, Lieutenant Kelham says : — 

 " Length, 8 \ inches ; irides red brown ; beak yellowish red at base ; 

 legs yellowish green ; soles yellow." 



Other authors have given the legs as greenish, olive green, 

 oil green, dirty reddish yellow ; the bill as yellowish fleshy, 

 brownish yellow above, yellowish below, yellow reddish at the 

 base, reddish brown above, brick red at the commissure. Irides 

 red. 



THE PLATE, conveys a good idea of the specimen, a male, 

 that was figured ; in another male I find the whole of the 

 crown black, not barred, though the feathers are faintly 

 edged paler. The bill, too, was brownish red. 



