348 
BIRDS OF BEITISH BUEMAH. 
part of the tarsus and all the toes slaty green ; claws horn-colour ; an 
orange ring round the tibia_, just below the feathered portion. 
Length 12'5 inches^ tail 2'7, wing 6*3^ tarsus 1-9^ bill from gape 1*1. 
The female is rather larger than the male. 
The Common Moor-hen of Europe is found sparingly over the whole 
Province. In Pegu I procured it only at Boulay^ near Thayetmyo ; but I 
have reason to think it occurs elsewhere in this Division. Mr. Davison 
met with it at various points in Tenasserim^ and Mr. Blyth records it from 
Arrakan. 
It inhabits the whole of Southern Asia^ being found in the Philippine 
Islands and^ according to Dr. Tiraud^ in Cochin China. It extends north 
as far as Japan. It ranges west to Europe and Africa, inhabiting nearly 
the whole of both continents. 
This species is migratory in some measure over a large portion of its 
range ; but in Burmah, from what I have observed, I should judge it to be 
resident. It frequents ponds and swamps, swimming about with ease, and 
being also able to walk over leaves and vegetation growing in the water. 
In India it breeds in the rains, making a large nest of grass on the ground 
on the edge of the water and laying numerous eggs, which are pale buff 
marked with reddish. 
There are several doubtfully distinct races of this Moor-hen found in 
various parts of the world ; they differ very slightly from the European 
bird, and it is hardly necessary to notice them here. 
Genus ERYTHRURA, BeicL 
700. ERYTHRURA PHCENICURA. 
THE WHITE-BREASTED WATER-HEN. 
Rallus phoenicurus, Petm. in Ford. Zool. Ind. p. 19, pi. ix. Gallinula phoeni- 
cura, Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 720 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 599; id. S. F. ii. p. 300, 
iii. p. 187 ; Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi. p. 466 ; Newton, S. F. vii. p. 415. Erythra 
phoenicura, Wald. Trans. Zool. Soc. viii. p. 94 ; Salvad. JJcc. Born. p. 340 David 
et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 486 ; Oates, S. F. v. p. 165 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 691 ; 
Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 786; Hume, 8. F. viii. p. 113; Bingham, S. F. ix. 
p. 197 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 242 ; Kelham, Ibis, 1882, p. 188. Porzana phcBnicura, 
Bl. B. Burm. p. 161. 
Description. — Male and female. Forehead, the feathers over the eye, the 
sides of the head, chin, throat, lower neck, the centre of the breast and 
abdomen white ; the whole upper plumage, tail and wings deep olive- 
