A Manual of Philippine Birds. Richard C. McGregor
of Pallas) Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1894), 23, 106; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 16.
Luzon (Heriot). Eastern Siberia, Japan, China, Burmah, India, Ceylon, Borneo.
Adult male.—General color above dark ochraceous-brown with black centers to nearly all the feathers which are marked with white spots freckled with black; lower back black, freckled with white but only slightly washed with ochraceous-brown; upper tail-coverts ochraceous-brown with black centers; center of crown and hind neck dark ochraceous or reddish brown, only faintly streaked with black centers to the feathers; forehead and broad eyebrow as well as entire side of face, throat, and breast clear slaty gray; a distinct band of reddish brown along ear-coverts to sides of neck; abdomen, flanks, and thighs blackish, mottled with white bars; under tail-coverts deep black, barred with white; lesser and median wing-coverts uniform ochraceous-brown like the back, greater series with blackish centers and white frecklings; innermost secondaries like the back with broad black centers, the inner webs paler ochraceous-brown thereby forming a broad longitudinal band on each side of the back; alula, primary-coverts, and quills sepia-brown; edges of alula and first primary white; under wing-coverts and axillars dusky brown with a few white spots and bars; tail-feathers blackish, edged with dark ochraceous-brown. (Compiled from Sharpe, Catalogue of Birds). “Bill green, dusky on the culmen and at the tips; legs and feet green, with a yellowish tinge, sometimes brownish olive, sometimes pale green or pale olive-green; claws pale brown; iris normally red, sometimes briar-red, crimson, or carmine.” (Hume.) Length, 178; culmen, 19; wing, 89; tail, 42; tarsus, 28; middle toe and claw, 38.
“Adult female.—Similar to the male in color. Length, 178; culmen, 16; wing, 94; tail, 43; tarsus, 28.
“Young.—Is like the adult on the upper surface and is similarly marked with black and white, but the general tone of the plumage is rather more rufous; the head like the back; sides of face rufous-brown, as also eyebrow; lores whitish; throat, breast, and abdomen dull white; fore neck and chest rufescent, barred across with dusky; lower flanks, vent, and under tail-coverts black, barred with white. ‘Iris orange-red or reddish brown.’ (Hume.)” (Sharpe.)
63. PORZANA PLUMBEA (Gray).
LEAD-COLORED CRAKE.
Crex plumbea Gray, in Griffith ed. Cuvier (1829), 3, 410.
Porzana tabuensis Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1894), 23, 111 (part).
Porzana plumbea Sharpe, Hand-List (1899), 1, 102; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 16.
Luzon (Meyer, McGregor). New Hebrides, Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Chatham, Samoa, and Fiji Islands.
Adult (sexes alike).—Above including wings reddish chocolate-brown; rump slightly darker; head and neck blackish; sides of face and under parts dark slate-gray; chin and throat more or less whitish; under tail-coverts black with white bars; edge of wing, first alula quill, and first primary white; under wing-coverts mottled with ashy brown and white. Bill black; iris and eyelids brick-red; legs and feet light salmon; nails dark brown. Ten specimens from the vicinity of Manila measure: Length, 165 to 178; wing, 69 to 78 (average 75); tail, 36 to 44 (average 40); exposed culmen, 15 to 19 (average 16); tarsus, 23 to 26 (average 25); middle toe with claw, 29 to 32 (average 31).
“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