Part 29

"Young.--Differs from the adult in having the throat white and the center of chest and abdomen for the most part white." (Sharpe.)

At times great numbers of this little rail are sold in the Manila markets, but I have never taken a specimen in the field.

Genus POLIOLIMNAS Sharpe, 1893.

Tarsus less than middle toe with claw and less than twice the culmen; plumage of under parts mostly white.

64. POLIOLIMNAS CINEREUS (Vieillot).

ASHY CRAKE.

Porphyrio cinereus Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. d'Hist. Nat. (1819), 28, 29. Poliolimnas cinereus Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1894), 23, 130; Hand-List (1899), 1, 104; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 17.

Basilan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Cebu (Steere, Everett, Bourns & Worcester); Dinagat (Everett); Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Leyte (Everett, Steere Exp.); Luzon (Bourns & Worcester, Cuming, Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Mindanao (Everett, Bourns & Worcester); Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester, Porter); Negros (Bourns & Worcester); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Sibuyan (McGregor); Siquijor (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor). Oceania, Malayan Peninsula, Greater and Lesser Sunda Islands, Buru, Australia.

Adult (sexes alike).--General color above wood-brown; scapulars, inner secondaries, lower back, rump, and tail seal-brown; scapulars and inner secondaries with wide sandy brown edges; top of head black or dark slate-gray; a white line from bill over eye; a large loral space black, below this a white band separating black post-ocular space from ashy ear-coverts; lower throat, sides of neck, and sides of body ashy gray; chin, upper throat, thighs, and middle of breast and abdomen white; flanks, vent, and under tail-coverts sandy buff or clay-color; wings and tail dark brown; first primary edged with white. Iris bright red; bill yellowish brown; legs brown with greenish and yellowish tints; nails brown. Length, 190 to 203. Three males from Bohol measure: Wing, 91 to 98 (average 95); tail, 45 to 51 (average 48); exposed culmen, 23; tarsus, 36 to 39 (average 37.8); middle toe with claw, 46 to 52 (average 46).

Young.--The fully feathered young resembles the adult in color pattern but top of head and blackish loral band are brown and the ashy gray of ear-coverts, lower throat, and sides is replaced by yellowish buff. The downy young is coal-black.

A downy young bird was collected in Calayan, October 8, 1903, and a half-grown bird was collected in Ticao, April 22, 1902.

"Very common about lakes and fresh-water pools. Breeds abundantly in the tall grass and rushes. Called by the natives 'y-a-gut-yút.'" (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus LIMNOBÆNUS Sundevall, 1873.

In colors this genus resembles Rallina but has the middle toe with claw longer than the tarsus.

Species.

a1. Flanks olive-brown with narrow whitish bars, the bars sometimes wanting. ... fuscus (p. 74) a2. Flanks white, barred with dusky blackish. ... paykulli (p. 74)

65. LIMNOBÆNUS FUSCUS (Linnæus).

RUDDY CRAKE.

Rallus fuscus Linnæus, Syst. Nat. ed. 12 (1766), 1, 262. Limnobænus fuscus Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1894), 23, 146; Hand-List (1899), 1, 105; Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1901), 1, 120; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 17.

Cagayancillo (McGregor); Leyte (Everett); Luzon (Cuming, Heriot, Steere Exp., Whitehead); Mindanao (Everett, Steere Exp.); Mindoro (McGregor); Negros (Keay). Ceylon, Indian and Malay Peninsulas, Burmese countries to China and Japan, Christmas Island, Java, Borneo.

Adult male.--Above including wing-coverts dark olive; forehead, sides of head, chin, throat, and breast vinous-chestnut, chin more or less whitish; abdomen and flanks olive-brown with narrow white bars; vent and under tail-coverts blackish with wider white bars; wings and tail brown; axillars and under wing-coverts fringed with white. Iris brick-red, a narrow inner circle brown; bill dark brown, lighter at tips; legs red; nails brown. A male from Manila market, September 2, 1904, measures: Length, 190; wing, 93; tail, 42; exposed culmen, 20; tarsus, 30; middle toe with claw, 35.

Adult female.--Similar to the male. A female from Cagayancillo, February 23, 1903, measures: Length, 210; wing, 96; tail, 47; exposed culmen, 18.5; tarsus, 32; middle toe with claw, 37. A breeding female from Manila market, August 20, 1902, measures: Length, 210; wing, 98; tail, 47; exposed culmen, 20; tarsus, 32; middle toe with claw, 37.

Young.--Manila market, August 14, 1902. Above olive and blackish brown, chin and throat white; remainder of under parts sooty brown mixed with white. Iris light green; upper mandible black; lower dark flesh; legs brown; nails black. Length, 200.

This little crake is either very shy or very scarce as few specimens are seen. It is usually found in dry brush-land or on forest paths and is extremely quick in making its escape.

66. LIMNOBÆNUS PAYKULLI (Ljungh).

PAYKULL'S CRAKE.

Rallus paykulli Ljungh, Sver. Vet. Akad. Handl. (1813), 258. Porzana paykulli Steere, List Birds & Mams. Steere Exped. (1890), 82. Limnobænus paykulli Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1894), 23, 149; Hand-List (1899), 1, 105; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 17.

Basilan (Steere Exp.). China, Eastern Siberia, Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo.