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Rallina canningi, Tytler. 



Vernacular Names,— [ 



HIS handsome species, I really think the hand- 

 somest bird of the whole sub-group, is, so far as 

 is yet known, absolutely confined to the Andaman 

 Islands. 



It may prove to extend to the Nicobars, but it has 

 not as yet been procured there. 



So FAR AS we know, this is chiefly a Woodland Rail, haunting 

 the neighbourhood of streams and pools bordered by dense 

 forests. 



Captain Wimberley writes : — " This is an extremely shy, 

 and, I believe, exclusively a forest bird. It certainly never 

 leaves cover during the day time. It is found either in the 

 forest itself or in thick secondary scrub adjoining this, and 

 especially where the ground is swampy or intersected by hill 

 streams. 



"If driven out of cover it will not take wing unless hard pressed, 

 when its flight is slow and heavy. 



il Its food appears to consist of insects and fresh-water fish. 

 The latter I infer, as some of those I sent you were taken in 

 snares laid on ground baited with fresh-water shrimps, which 

 were all eaten. 



" I have never heard its call-note, but the man I employed to 

 snare some of my specimens tells me that its call is very similar 

 to that of the Andamanese Banded Rail. 



"■ I do not think the bird is at all uncommon here, but it is 

 rarely met with owing to its shyness and its habit of keeping to 

 cover." 



Mr. F. A. DeRoepstorff kindly sent me the eggs of this 

 species, together with the parent bird, with the following note : — 

 " On the 17th of July a convict (Hanwanta, No. 18,009), who was 



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