Order RALLIFORMES 
No. 63. 
Family RALLIDjF. 
GALLINULA MOLUCCANA RUriCRISSA. 
RUFOUS-TAILED MOOR-HEN. 
(Plate 58.)* 
Gallinttla rtjfiorissa Gould, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (4), IV., p. 110 (August Ist, 1869), 
Cape River (Queensland). 
Gallinula ruficrissa Gould, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (4), IV., p. 110 (1869) ; id., Suppl. B. 
Austr., PI. 79 (1869) (dated August) ; Ramsay, P.L.S., N.S.W., I., p. 193 (1876) ; 
id., ib., II., p. 199 (1877) ; North, P.L.S., N.S.W. (2), p. 446 (1887) ; Ramsay, Tab. 
List. Austr. B., p. 21 (1888) ; North, Austr. Mus. Cat., No. 12, p. 326 (1889). 
Erythra ruficrissa Salvadori (part), Ann. Mus, Genova, VII., p. 795 (1875). 
Amaurornis moluccana (part) Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., XXIII., p. 153 (1894) ; Robinson 
and Laverock, Ibis, p. 650 (1900) ; Campbell, Nests and Eggs Austr. B., p. 751 
(1901) ; Le Souef, Emu, II., p. 94 (1902) ; Hall, Key B. Austr., p. 77 (1906) ; 
Mathews, Handl. B. Austral, p. 13 (1908). 
Distribution. Northern Territory ; Queensland. 
Adult. Head, hind-neck and mantle olive-brown, becoming chocolate-brown on the 
scapulars, back, upper tail-coverts and tail ; wing-coverts like the back, somewhat 
more chestnut-brown on the greater -coverts, which resemble the i nn er secondaries ; 
bastard -wing, primary -coverts and quills dark brown, somewhat paler on the outer 
webs ; lores and sides of head and ear-coverts dull slaty-grey, lighter on the cheeks 
and inclining to greyish-white on the chin and upper -throat ; lower -throat, breast 
and abdomen darker slaty-grey, sh'ghtly washed with olive on the fore-neck ; 
sides of body entirely olive-brown ; lower abdomen vinous isabelline ; a patch of 
feathers on each side of the vent, thighs and under tail-coverts vinous chestnut ; under 
wing-coverts and axUlaries dark sepia-brown ; quills dusky brown below ; “ Bill green, 
frontal shield orange ; iris reddish-brown ; feet yellow” (Olive)t Total length, 213 
mm. ; oulmen, including frontal shield, 30 ; wing, 143 ; tail, 56 ; tarsus, 56. 
Nest. “ Composed of coarse grass and other herbage ; 3| inches in breadth ” (Le Souef). 
Eggs. “ Clutch, three ; bufiy -white, slightly glossy, and having dark brown markings, 
especially at the larger end, those beneath the surface being lilac. Measurement in 
inches, 1.40 to 1.32 by 1.07 to 1.01 ” (Le Souef). 
Breeding season. April (Le Souef). 
* The Plate is lettered Amaurornis moluccana. 
t On the Plate the feet are coloured greenish. 
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