710 
Birds of Celebes: Eallidae. 
etc.); Salanga (J. Weber e 12); Singapore (Kelbam ell); Sumatra fS. Miiller c 3, 
Beccari e 7, etc.); Banka (v. d. Bosscbe c 5); Noordwachter Id. (Vorderman c 12]\ 
Nias (Kannegieter 10); Java iHorsfield e 3, Bocarme c 3, etc.); Natuna Is. — 
Sirhassen (Everett e 27); Borneo (Diard, Mottley, etc. e 17); Philippines — Palawan, 
Oalamianes, Mindoro, Sieiuijor, Marinduque, Mindanao, Basilan, Sooloo, Tawi Tawi, 
Bongao (Platen 5, Bourns & Worcester 8, Everett e 10, 6, Guillemard e 15, 
Steere e 19); Talaut Is. — Kabrirang (Nat. Ooll. e 26 in Dresd. Mus.); Sangi 
Is. — Tagulandang (Nat. Ooll. in Dresd. Mus.); Celebes — Minahassa (Wallace 7, 
Meyer e 8, etc.), Gorontalo Distr. (PorstencJ, EosenbergcJ, etc.), Dongala, 
West Celebes Doherty 11), Kandari, S. E. Celebes (Beccari e 4), South Celebes 
fPeinwardt c 3, Wallace 7, Platen 2, Weber e 25); Saleyer Id. (Weber e 25, 
Everett e 28); Sumbawa (Guillem, f 3, 7); Timor (S. Muller 61, c 3, Wallace 
^ 1, 7); Buru (Bruijn i 1, Leyden Mus. ^ 1). 
The White-breasted Water-hen seems to be a very common species almost 
throughout its range, but, owing to its skulking habits, it is more often heard than 
seen. Its voice is a most remarkable one, and authors have found some strange 
similies for it; Mr. Oates compares it to the braying of an ass; Mr. Aitken 
speaks of it as beginning with loud harsh roars, “which might have been elicited 
from a bear by I'oasting it slowly over a large fire”, suddenly changing to a 
clear note, repeated like the coo of a Dove; while Golonel Ijegge says that 
it might startle a stranger in the night into thinking that some one was being 
strangled beneath his windows. Its Alfurous name in the Minahassa, “Saring 
wokwok”, is taken from its cry. 
In some parts of its range it is not stationary; thus, it visits the Lower 
Yangtse Basin, as Mr. F. W. Styan, remarks, in summer, yet in South China Mr. 
De La Touche says it is resident. Mr. T. Parker (e 13) found that a local mi- 
gration of this among many other species takes place in N. W. Ceylon after 
the breeding season, in consequence of the drying-up of the tanks. 
The limor birds have been separated as a distinct species, A. leucomelaena 
by Salomon Muller; it is said by Schlegel to have the black extended on to 
the foiehead and sides of the head, and much more spread out towards the 
lower neck and middle of the breast and belly. The species was admitted by 
Count Salvadori, but it is not allowed to stand by Dr. Sharpe, and the un- 
satisfactory nature of its characters may be judged from the fact that it has been 
recorded by Briiggemann and W. Blasius from Celebes and Borneo, where 
A. phoenicura is found by others. According to Legge the species varies consi- 
derably. The existence of local races on the main islands must for the present 
be held not proven. The Andamans and Nicobars, however, according to Sharpe, 
harbour a dark race, named by him A. insularis. 
Elsewhere, this wide-spread Water-hen has no near allies, its white face 
and breast easily distinguishing it from the other members of its genus. Its 
habits are well described in Legge’s “Birds of Ceylon” (e 9). 
