THE INDIAN WATER-EAIL. 
343 
to the end of the ear-coverts plumbeous grey ; chin and throat plumbeous ; 
cheeks^ fore neck^ breast and centre of the abdomen plumbeous ashy, the 
feathers more or less fringed, according to age, with ruddy ; sides of the 
abdomen and sides of the body, axillaries and vent blackish, barred with 
white ; under tail-coverts white, each feather with a large black patch in 
the centre ; under wing-coverts black margined with white. 
Bill dull red, dusky on the culmen and tip ; irides red-brown ; legs and 
feet dirty pale green. [Jerdon.) 
Length 10 inches, tail 2'2, wing 5*2, tarsus 1'6, bill from gape 1*6. 
The female is very slightly smaller. 
The only differences which I can discover between the present species 
and R. aquaticus are the following : — In R. indicus there is a broad brown 
band covering the lores, passing through the eyes and occupying the 
central portion of the ear- coverts ; the sides of the neck are streaked with 
black like the upper plumage, and the feathers of the fore neck and breast 
are always more or less fringed with ruddy. In R. aquaticus there is no 
streak on the side of the head, the whole of that part, together with the 
sides of the neck, the fore neck and breast, being a clear deep plumbeous 
ashy. The dimensions of the two races are about the same. 
The Indian Water-Rail is said by Mr. Blyth to occur in Arrakan, and 
Mr. Shopland informs me that he has procured it in that Division. 
It occurs in Northern India from Bengal up to Nipal, and it is recorded 
from Ceylon. It is probably found throughout the Indo-Burmese coun- 
tries. I have examined specimens in Mr. Seebohm''s collection from 
various parts of China and Japan, and find them to be identical with the 
present species. It is said to extend into South-eastern Siberia. 
The Indian Water-Rail is migratory, visiting India, and of course 
Burmah also, only in the cold season ; but, as with other species of this 
family, comparatively little is known about its movements. 
This bird frequents patches of grass and brushwood in marshy localities 
and is excessively shy, seldom showing itself, and being driven out of its 
cover with great difficulty. 
