236 



THE MALAYAN BANDED CRAKE. 



I HAVE been unable to learn anything of the nidification of 

 this species. 



The PLUMAGE of the sexes does not differ appreciably, unless 

 the throat of the female be a little whiter and the upper plu- 

 mage a shade duller. 



I cannot now make out that there is any appreciable con- 

 stant difference in size between the sexes, but individual birds 

 of both vary very greatly in dimensions and weight : — 



Length, 8*62 to 9*82; expanse, 15-8 to 16-9; wing, 4*8 to 

 5*3 ; tail from vent, 2'0 to 2*6 ; tarsus, v6 to 1*9 ; bill from 

 gape, 0*95 to 1*2 ; weight, 275 to 475 ozs. 



Legs and feet coral red ; claws horny blue ; the bill varies — 

 in some it is blackish, in others plumbeous or dark horny blue, in 

 one dark greenish slatey ; the irides again have been red brown, 

 dull red, and crimson, and the orbital ring, gape and skin of 

 chin vermilion. 



The plate is a very fair picture of the bird, though the bright 

 red at the gape is omitted. I may note that the white 

 speckling or mottling shown down the front of the breast is a 

 pictorial effect, intended, I presume, to convey the idea of light 

 falling on the feathers. The chin and throat are white or whitish 

 in seme birds (females, I believe), while in others (the old males, 

 I believe), these parts are the same colour as, though paler than, 

 the breast ; but in all specimens the entire breast is the same 

 uniform ferruginous chestnut as the sides of the neck. 



