788 
ERYTHRA PIKEYICURA. 
only source of irrigation at the disposal of the inhabitants living in these forest-regions. It affects the shores 
of moderately brackish lagoons, which are surrounded by mangroves and other jungle, such as the Amblan- 
goda, Kogalla, and Panadure lakes ; but it is not found on the salt-lagoons of the Eastern Province. It 
extends into the hills to a moderate elevation, keeping to the well-watered valleys in the Kandy district; and 
it may be frequently observed about the terraced paddy-fields of the Kandyans. I have known it occur in 
this part of the Central Province up to 2000 feet elevation. In Uva, however, it ascends much higher, 
frequenting the country lying between Badulla and Fort Macdonald, so that it must reach an altitude of more 
than 3000 feet in this district. 
It is very abundant in suitable localities throughout peninsular India, not ranging, however, in any great 
numbers towards the north-west of the empire, where its place is taken by the preceding species. It is common 
in the Carnatic, and, according to Messrs. Davidson andWender, it is likewise so in the Deccan ; near Maha- 
baleshwar it is recorded by the Rev. Dr. Fairbank from the Koina River. It is not uncommon about Bombay. 
Further north, on this side, it becomes rarer. Captain Butler says it is tolerably common at Milana ; but in 
Guzerat and about Mt. Aboo generally it is rare. Mr. Hume writes, notwithstanding, that he has seen many 
specimens from Mt. Aboo, but none from Northern Guzerat or Judhpoor; and in Sindh it occurs only along 
the canals ; in Cutch and Kattiawar it is also found, but not commonly. The province of Sindh appears to be 
its limit in this direction. Turning to the east I observe that Mr. Blewitt found it breeding in Saugor, Raipur, 
and Sambalpur ; and Mr. Ball remarks that it is occasionally met with in Chota Nagpur, afterwards instancing 
in his list Lohardugga, Sirguja, Raipur, Nowagarh, and Karial as the localities where he observed it. 
Mr. Cripps writes that it is very common in Furreedpore ; and Mr. Hume notes that it is from time to time 
brought into the Calcutta market, so that it cannot but be plentiful in the neighbourhood of the capital. In 
Upper Pegu Mr. Oates found it common ; and Captain W ardlaw Ramsay procured it at Tonghoo. In the 
Province of Tenasserim it is pretty common in suitable localities, being recorded by Messrs. Plume and Davison 
from Paphoon, Wimpong, Kanee, Pabyouk, Amherst, Tavoy, and Bankasoon. In the Malay Peninsula it was 
procured at Malacca by Eyton. 
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands it is found everywhere in suitable localities ; and Mr. Davison found 
it common about creeks in Acheen (N.W. Sumatra) ; it has likewise been obtained in Sumatra by S. Muller, 
and recently in the Lampong district by Mr. Buxton. In Java it is not uncommon, and has been procured 
there by Horsfield, Boie, and Diard ; the same may be said of Borneo, where it has been recorded from 
Sarawak, Banjermassing, Brunei, and other localities. It likewise inhabits the adjoining island of Labuan, 
and it has been procured in the island of Banea, between Borneo and Sumatra. In Celebes it has been 
obtained in various localities by several travellers, and recently by Herr Meyer at Menado and Kakas. I 
have above recorded a specimen from Timor which I believe to belong to this species. In the Philippines 
Yon Martens procured it at Zamboanga, in the island of Mindanao. Turning north to the eastern coasts of 
the mainland we find it inhabiting South China and Formosa, according to Pere David and Swinhoc j but we 
have no record of its ranging into the northern parts of the Celestial empire. 
habits. The White-breasted Waterhen, which is, in a great measure, the Ceylonese representative of the 
Moorhen, like it frequents the borders of tanks, swamps, morasses, wet paddy-fields, brooks, ponds, and, in fact, 
any spot containing fresh water of permanent duration. It is much more of a “ skulker,” however, than its 
European relative, and is capable of frequenting the margins of some pool or pond close to one’s house for 
months without often giving one a chance of seeing it, although its extraordinary and unbird-like cries do not 
fail every morning and evening loudly to proclaim its whereabouts. It prefers situations where the banks are 
overhung with bushes or densely matted with screw-pines (its favourite retreat) to reedy sedgy spots, although, 
where such exist at the margins of large tanks or swamps, it does not refuse to affect them. In cultivated 
country among the villages of the interior it is frequently seen away from water, frequenting the vicinity of 
thick hedges and damp scrub, into which it quickly darts when it espies the sportsman, although it docs not seem 
to mind the presence of natives in its vicinity. It runs with great speed, and, according to my observation, 
rarely ever takes wing, and very seldom enters the water ; in fact it has more the habits and nature of a Rail 
than a true Waterhen. When roused out of a screw-pine or other tree in which it may have been perched, 
it will fly a short distance and with moderate speed, but it quickly drops to the bank and runs under cover. 
