254 THE ANDAMANESE BANDED RAIL. 



or pinkish stone colour, and it is more or less sparingly spotted, 

 streaked, blotched, and speckled with a rather rich red or 

 brownish red. These markings are somewhat more numerous 

 towards the large end, where, in some, they form an irregular 

 cap. Besides these primary markings, a number of pale purple 

 clouds and spots are scattered about the egg, mostly towards 

 the large end. The eggs vary from 1*38 to 1*48 in length, and 

 from 1*05 to 1*14 in breadth, but the average of twelve is 

 1 -43 by 1 -oo. 



Unfortunately we have but few specimens measured in the 

 flesh ; these vary as follows : — 



Length, 1 1*5 to 1275; expanse, 17-5 to 18*5 ; wing, 5-3 to 

 5*5 ; tail from vent, 2-25 to 2*5 ; tarsus, 1*5 to 175; bill from 

 gape, 175 to 2"0. 



In no adult is the wing as small as 5*2, and it runs to 

 at least 5 "6. 



The colours of the soft parts were recorded in only two 

 specimens ; in these they were as follow : — 



Legs and feet slaty green and dark greenish horny ; irides 

 deep brown ; bill Indian red ; tips of both mandibles and ridge 

 of upper mandible deep horny brown. 



Doubtless a more ample record would show variations in 

 the colouring of these parts analogous to those observed in 

 Striata. 



The PLATE. The left hand figure is supposed to represent 

 our present species, and it is, if anything, less satisfactory than 

 that of striata. The face, sides of the neck, and breast should 

 be a very dark leaden grey, not in the least like the colour 

 represented ; the forehead, crown, occiput, and nape should be, 

 not the light chestnut of which a trace is shown over the eye 

 and behind the ear-coverts, but a dusky maroon, with no trace 

 of the spotting which the plate exhibits. Even in younger 

 birds there are no such spottings, only blackish streaks on the 

 centre of the crown and occiput, which would not have been 

 visible in the position in which the bird is placed. The colour 

 of the rest of the upper parts is correct enough, but the banding 

 should have been white, and not pale yellowish. The colours of 

 the soft parts are also, I believe, wrongly represented. 



I HAVE satisfied myself that the Rail described by me (S. R, 

 III., 389) as H. abnormis is a young bird of this species, and 

 herein lies another marked difference between the present and 

 the Continental form — that, whereas the latter at no stage after 

 it is fully fledged ever appears to want the white banding or 

 spotting on the upper surface, this is entirely absent in nearly 

 full grown birds of the present species, which, it thus appears, 



