Birds of Celebes: Eallidae. 
711 
305. AMAURORNIS MOLUCCANA (Wall.). 
Plumbeous-breasted W ater-hen. 
a. Gallinula olivacea (1) Schl. (nee Meyen), Mus. P.-B., BalU, 1865, 43. 
b. Porzana moluccana (1) Wall,, P. Z. S. 1865, 480. 
c. Gallinula ruficrissa (1) Glould., Ann. & Mag. N. H. 1869, (4) IV, HO; (II) id., B. Austr. 
Suppl. pi. 79 (1869); (3) Eainsay, Tab. List 1888, 21; (4) North, Nests & Eggs 
B. Austr. 1889, 326. 
d. Gallinula frankii (1) Schl, Notes Leyden Mus. 1879, I, 163. 
Amanrornis moluccana (1) Salvad, , Atti Ac. Sc. Tor. 1879, XIV, 944; (2) id., Orn. Pap. 
1882, m, 276; (3) Meyer, Isis, Dresden 1884, 6, 55; (4) W. Bias., Omis 1888, 
638; f5J Heine &llchw., Nomencl. Mus. Hein. 1890, 317; (&J Salvad., Agg. Orn. 
Pap. 1891, 197; (7J Sharpe, Cat. B, 1894, XXm, 153, 338; Madar., Aquila 
1894, 105. 
For further synonymy and references cf. Salvad. 2, 6’; Sharpe 7. 
Figure and descriptions. Gould c II\ Wallace h 1\ Schlegel d 1\ Salvador! 2; Sharpe 7. 
Scarcely adult. Above olive-bistre, brighter on rump, tail and scapulars; jugulum, breast 
and sides plumbeous mouse-grey, paler and browner on face, whitish on chin and 
upper throat; abdomen white, passing into cinnamon on the under tail-coverts, 
darker and browner on flanks and thighs; under wing-coverts and remiges 
below brownish slaty (Siao; Meyer — C 889). “Iris bro-nm; cere green; bill and 
feet brown'’ (Batjan — Platen). Another specimen labelled “Sangir Id.” (collector 
unknown — C 10508) is adult and has the sides of the body browner. 
Three examples from the Moluccas (1 Halmahera, 1 Batjan) have the throat 
slaty like the breast. A wliitish throat is held by Dr. Sharpe to be a sign of 
immaturity. 
ments. 
Wing 
Tail 
Tarsus 
Mid. 
toe 
BUI from 
forehead 
a. (0 889) vix ad., Siao (M.) 
147 
57 
52 
58 
27 
b. (C 10508) ad., “Sangir Id.” 
145 
50 
60 
64.5 
32 
c. (0 891) $ ad., Halmahera (M.) 
141 
56 
50.5 
53 
29.5 
d. (0 6876) (j* ad., Batjan, 1. VIH. 84 (Platen) 
146 
58 
53.5 
57.5 
31 
e. (0 12455) ad., “Moluccas” 1867 
142 
59 
56 
61 
31.5 
The species shows great variation in size. 
Egg. Dull white, finely freckled all over with light chestnut-red markings, a few subjacent 
ones nearly obsolete: 40.6 X 30.5 mm (New Britain — ex North c 4). 
“Tlie eggs from New Britain resemble those of Rallm aquaticus, except that 
they are somewhat more strongly spotted, and measure 39 X 28 mm” (Nehrkorn MS.). 
Distribution. Siao (Meyer 5); Moluccas — Halmahei-a, Temate, Tidorc, Batjan, Amboina 
(f. Salvador! 5); Papuasia — Mysol, New Guinea, Duke of York, New Britain 
(f. Salvad. 2); Sta. Anna, Solomon Is. (Macdonald 6)-, Queensland (Eamsay etc. c3). 
The occurrence of this Water-hen in the Island of Siao may be compared 
with that of Columba alhigiilaris, a species of somewhat similar distribution, which 
has straggled to Tagulandang. The Siao skin, as Meyer has already pointed 
out (3), shows certain differences, but these, as was then suggested, may be due 
to immaturity; the specimen is not fully adult. 
