716 
Birds of Celebes: Eallidae. 
June 189o. Soliwarze). 6 — 9 or 10 in number (Dresser Kutter described 
Grabowsky s specimens of the eggs from S. E. Borneo as similar to those of the 
typical O. chloroptiSj but, apparently, rather smaller on an average; size 38.6 X 29.2 
to 48.3 X 32.1 mm; mean of 20 examples 42..5 x 30.4 mm (b 6). 
Nest. Hume (17) remarks that the “nest varies much in size and situation. Sometimes there 
is no nest at all, only a quantity of I’ush and rice bent down in situ to form a plat- 
form to support the eggs. Sometimes it is built up in the water like a Coot’s. Often 
it IS in some tuft or tussock of grass in a swamp, ditch or pond. Occasionally it is 
wedged up several inches above the water in some tamarisk or babool busb growing 
m a lake or jheel.” In Eimope, when built in rushes, the tops are often bent over 
the nest to form a screen; or a somewhat flat nest may be found several feet above 
the water in a bush. Dresser mentions a case of the bird building about 20 feet 
from the ground in a spruce fir. 
Distribution. Europe up to about 63“ N. in Scandinavia, W. Russia to about 60“ E. Russia 
to about 1)6“ ; Africa, Madagascar, Mascarene Islands, Mauritius, Bourbon ( G. pyrrhorhoa ) ; 
Asia, cxcep tthe North. India (Hume, etc. J7); Ceylon (LeggeiO); Burmah (Oates 
12)-, Tenasserim (Davison S); China (David, Swinhoe, etc. n, 20)] S. E. Siberia 
(Dybowski and G-odl. 19)] Japan (Blackiston, etc. 13, 16)] Loochoo Is. (Perry 13, 
16), Formosa (Swinhoe 5, 20)] Philippines — Luzon, Cebu, Leyte, Guimaras, Panay, 
Mindoio, Mindanao (Cuming 3, Meyer 4, Everett 6, 7, Steere 15, Bourns 
& Worcester 22)] S. and S. E. Borneo (Croockewit 3, Grabowsky b 6, b 8)] 
Sumatra (Raffles b 2, 20)] Java (Horsfield bl, Vorderman 11)] Celebes — Ma- 
cassar (Wallace b 3, Beccari b 5), Bulekomba near Macassar [Everett c 1), Manado 
(British Mus. 20). 
The Common Moor-hen has to be included in the Celebes list in virtue 
of two specimens from Macassar in the British Museum obtained by Wallace, 
two from the same locality collected by Beccari, 20“* August, 1874, recorded by 
Salvadori, one recently obtained by Everett at Bulekomba (cl), and three 
further specimens in the British Museum. One of the last, a young bird without 
the collectors name, is indicated as having come from Manado, and is as 
yet the only proof of the occurrence of the species in the North of the island. 
On Lake Bangkau. S. E. Borneo, Grabowsky found it a plentiful species. In 
Java Vorderman, having obtained it in all seasons, considers it a resident species. 
In many countries the Moor-hen is known as a migrant, complete or partial; in 
other quarters, such as GHgit and Heligoland, it is found only as a bird of 
passage. Styan holds it to be a summer visitant to the Lower Yangtse; possibly 
the birds do not proceed further south in winter than South China, where, 
according to Abbe David the species is resident. In the Philippines it is 
probably stationary, since it has been recorded by Walden and Steere from 
Luzon and Leyte in July, as well as from the first-named and other islands in 
winter, or less decidedly summer months. In South Celebes it will probably be 
found to be a resident bird , and from analogy with other species it is most 
likely that it reached this spot from Java or S. E. Borneo; the single specimen 
lecorded from the Northern Peninsula may on the other hand have been rather 
a winter visitor from the north. 
