54 ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, (CEYLON BRANCH,) 



134. Hydrophasianus chirurgus, Scop.— The Pheasant- 

 tailed Jacana, the "Water Pheasant;" Ballat-saaru or "Cat Teal'* 

 of the Sinhalese.— -Layard, Annals Natural History, 1854, volume 

 14, page 267, Hydrophasianus Sinenses,, WagJiler. — Kelaart, 

 Prodromus Faunae Zeylanica, page 135. 



Throughout the whole of the low-country, on all fresh water tanks, 

 swamps, and lakes. Very numerous on all the inland tanks of the 

 Vanni and Trincomalee districts, in Bintenna lake, on the tanks 

 of the east and south-east (particularly Tissa Maha Rama and 

 Sittrawella in the Kataragama country), about Matara, on Bol- 

 goda lake, and on Kotte lake, and other sheets of water in the 

 Western Province. 



135. Porphyrio poliocefhalus, Latk.~ The Blue Coot,. 

 Purple Coot. Kittala, Sink. —Layard, Annals Natural History,. 

 1854, volume 14, page 268, Omitted from Kelaarfe's Prodromus 

 Faunas Zeylanica. 



Throughout the low- country generally. Rare on Bolgoda, Amblan- 

 goda lakes, frequenting secluded nooks ; occurs about the 

 marshes near Matara; more commotion the tanks of the south- 

 east and throughout the Eastern Province, and abundant on the- 

 tanks of the Western Province and on Bintenna lake-. 



136. G aelinula phcenicura, Forster. — The white-breasted 

 Water-hen. "Korowaka," Sink. — Gallinula Phcenieura, Pennant., 

 — Layard, Annals Natural History, 1854, volume 14, page 268 ; 

 Kelaart, Prodromus Faunae Zeylanica,. page 135^ 



Abundant throughout the low-country, and occurring in the valleys 

 of the Central Province at about 2,000 feet.. Aifects swamps, 

 marshes, paddy fields, tanks, ditches, and all spots where there is 

 water permanently. 



137. Gallicrex cristatus, Lath.— The Water-cock. 

 "Kora" in India. " Willi-kukula, Sink. — Gallinula cristata, 

 Lath— Layard, Annals Natural History, 18,54, volume 14, page 

 268; Kelaart, Prodromus Faunas Zeylanica, page 135. 



Occurs sparingly in all marshy districts throughout the low-country. 

 In the Western Province at Kotte, and in Panadure and Bolgoda 

 lakes; in the south-west about Amblangoda, Wakwella, and 

 Matara; on Tissa Maha Rama and all tanks of the south-east and 

 Eastern Province ; in similar localities in the neighbourhood 

 of Trincomalee, where it is tolerably plentiful. It appears to be 

 migratory to the south. 



Note. — This species is always found in damp places covered 

 with long grass. 



