RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS.
Size medium to small; body compressed; thighs very muscular; legs rather long; toes long; wing short and rounded; tail short and soft, composed of ten or twelve feathers; bill strong but variable in form; long and slightly curved in typical rails, short and thick in the crakes, subconical and heavy in Porphyrio; nostrils pervious and variable in shape; wing usually bearing a short spine or a flattened knob. Most of the species inhabit marsh-land, rice-fields, or thick beds of reeds bordering ponds and streams; Rallina, Amaurornis, and Gallicrex are often found in dry fields or underbrush at considerable distances from water. The nest is placed on the ground and well concealed among reeds or bunches of grass; usually situated near water or marshy ground. The eggs vary in number from four to ten, and are usually much spotted and streaked. The downy young are coal-black.
Characters same as those given for the Order.
Bill slender; abdomen and flanks black or brown, banded with white.
Tic-líng, general name for rails.
Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Cebu (Everett); Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Leyte (Everett); Luzon (Cuming, McGregor, Gevers); Mindanao (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow); Mindoro (McGregor, Porter); Negros (Steere Exp., Keay); Palawan (Celestino, White); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Steere Exp.); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester); Sulu (Guillemard). Burmese countries to China, Malay Peninsula, Indo-Malay Islands, Southern India, Ceylon, Formosa, Celebes.
Adult male.—Above olive-brown, feathers centered with black and barred with broken white lines; crown, neck, and sides of neck dull chestnut, brighter on the last; center of crown blackish; chin and upper throat; lores, sides of face, and ear-coverts, lower throat, fore neck, and breast slate-gray; posterior lower part of body, under wing-coverts, and axillars blackish barred with white; alula blackish brown; primary-coverts and primaries blackish brown spotted and barred with white; tail and its coverts similar to the back. “Basal half of bill rose-pink, the anterior half horn-color; legs and toes deep olive-brown; claws pale brown; iris red.” (Oates.) Length, 246; culmen, 38; wing, 120; tail, 47; tarsus, 37.
“Adult female.—Similar to the male, but paler and decidedly more olive, head not so bright chestnut; white bars on lower parts much tinged with fulvous. Length, 240; culmen, 35; wing, 110; tail, 41; tarsus, 35.
“In winter the plumage is entirely overshaded with olive-brown and there is a distinct fulvescent tinge on abdomen and under tail-coverts, almost hiding the black bars on the latter.
“Young.—Differs from the adults in having the bill black, and the upper surface much darker and without any white spots and bars on the back; head blackish, and back darker olive-brown with broad black centers to the feathers; no rufous on the head or sides of crown and sides of neck.” (Sharpe.)
Batan (Edmonds); Luzon (Everett, Whitehead, McGregor). Pacific Islands, Malay Archipelago, Australia, New Zealand.
“Adult male.—General color above ochraceous-brown, all the feathers black, with ochraceous edgings, and spangled with white spots on the mantle and back; lower back and rump ochraceous-brown, with white centers to the feathers, but no white spots; wing-coverts like the back, but more uniform, and with scarcely any spots on the lesser and median series, the greater series, however, having large white spots and intermediate bars of black; alula black, checkered with white spots and bars; primary-coverts rufous, olive-brown at tip and banded with black; quills rufous, banded with black, and black at tips, the first two primaries checkered on the outer web and barred on the inner web with white; secondaries blackish, externally and at the tips ochraceous-brown, with numerous ovate spots or bars, the innermost secondaries ochraceous-brown, with broad black centers resembling the back; tail-feathers ochraceous-brown centered with black; crown of head olive-brown, with black longitudinal spots to the feathers; hinder neck ferrugineous, mottled with blackish centers to the feathers, which are edged with olive-brown, obscuring the rufous; lores and broad band through the eye dusky brown, becoming rufous on the ear-coverts and extending to the sides of the neck, where it is a little brighter rufous; over the lores a white band extending above the eye, and continued in a broad band of light ashy gray above the ear-coverts, and extending to the sides of the nape; cheeks light ashy gray, extending over the fore neck, which is washed with brown; fore part of the cheeks and throat white, remainder of under surface white, with black bars, very distinct, but narrow on the sides of fore neck, broader and more regular on the sides of body, where the feathers have olive-brown tips; flank feathers distinctly barred with black and white, the black bands being the broader; feathers at the sides of the vent tawny-buff, black at the base, and barred with white; long under tail-coverts black, with white bars, tawny-buff at the ends, the lower coverts tawny-buff, with black bases; thighs tawny-buff, dusky brown behind, under wing-coverts black, broadly edged with white; axillars black, barred with white. ‘Bill warm brown; feet and claws light grayish brown; iris indian-red.’ (Everett.) Length, 292; culmen, 32; wing, 145; tail, 67; tarsus, 39; middle toe with claw, 47.” (Sharpe.)
Female.—An immature female agrees with the description of the male but the lower throat and fore breast are obscured with slate-gray and a slight olive wash. Bill dull brick-red, the terminal third brown; iris red; legs and nails light brown. Length, 305; wing, 136; tail, 73; culmen, 30; tarsus, 39; middle toe with claw, 43. This species is rare in Luzon.
Bantayan (McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Cagayancillo (McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Dinagat (Everett); Leyte (Everett); Luzon (Cuming, Meyer, Everett, Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow); Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Everett, Keay); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Sibuyan (McGregor); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Ticao (McGregor); Verde (McGregor).
Adult (sexes alike).—Above olive-brown with a few, obscure, black lines on forehead; lores and circumocular area black, continued as a wide black band behind eye to side of nape; below this a wide white band from gape to neck, slightly washed with chestnut at its end; chin gray; throat and lower part of face black; lower throat and rest of lower parts black profusely banded with white; vent and under tail-coverts washed with clay-brown; a wide band of chestnut across breast; under wing-coverts and axillars barred with black and white like the breast. Iris red; bill, legs, and nails brown. Three males: Length, 317 to 330; wing, 151 to 155; tail, 54 to 65; exposed culmen, 41 to 43; tarsus, 52 to 53; middle toe with claw, 52 to 55. Two females: Length, 305, 317; wing, 142, 144; tail, 51, 60; exposed culmen, 39, 41; tarsus, 51, 52; middle toe with claw, 51, 52.
Young.—Resembles the adult but has more white on the chin; band across breast wider and olive-brown; vent and under tail-coverts barred with reddish brown.
“H. torquata usually deposits four eggs, more rarely three. The ground-color of the egg is creamy white, sparingly marked with spots and a few blotches of brown varying from dark chocolate to reddish, and with more numerous spots and blotches of pale lilac; all the markings more numerous at the larger end. Ten eggs average 38 by 28.4.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
The Philippine rail is the most abundant species of its family with the possible exception of Poliolimnas cinereus; both species are often taken in snares.
The species of this genus are of small size with short stout bills; middle toe with claw shorter than tarsus; head, neck, and chest chestnut; sides and abdomen barred with white.
Balabac (Everett); Mindoro (Porter); Palawan (Whitehead, Platen). Burmese provinces, Malay Peninsula, Indo-Malayan Islands, Halmhéra, Pelew Islands.
“Adult male.—General color above ruddy brown, scapulars like the back; rump a little more olive-brown; upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers reddish brown; lesser and median coverts ruddy brown, with buffy white bars, each of which is margined with black; greater coverts black, rather broadly barred with white, as well as the alula and primary-coverts; quills blackish brown, checkered with white spots on outer web, and barred with white on the inner one; secondaries broadly barred and tipped with white, these white markings obsolete on the innermost, rufous-brown secondaries; crown, neck, sides of face, ear-coverts, cheeks, throat, and chest chestnut, a little lighter on the throat; breast and sides white, broadly banded with black, the abdomen white; thighs white externally, ashy brown internally; under tail-coverts barred with black and white or rufous-white; under wing-coverts and axillars white, barred with black like the inner lining of quills. ‘Bill dark horny; orbital skin and gape vermilion; feet and exposed portion of tibia bright coral-red; iris dull cinnabar-red.’ (Davidson.) Length, 216; culmen, 24; wing, 132; tail, 48; tarsus, 46.
“Adult female.—Similar to the male in color, but a little browner, and with narrower black bars on the under surface, the abdomen being, therefore, whiter. ‘Bill plumbeous; feet coral-red; iris reddish brown.’ (Davidson.) Length, 230; culmen, 23; wing, 124; tail, 48; tarsus, 38.
“Young.—Differs from the adult in being browner, the bands on the wing being buffy white; sides of face, fore neck, and chest ashy brown, with a rufous tinge; throat whitish, as also the breast and abdomen, which have a few bars of dusky blackish on the sides of the body.” (Sharpe.)
Basilan (McGregor); Cagayancillo (McGregor); Cebu (Everett); Leyte (Everett); Luzon (Cuming, Dussumier, Möllendorff, Bourns & Worcester); Mindanao (Bourns & Worcester); Mindoro (McGregor, Porter); Negros (Everett); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Sulu (Guillemard).
Adult male.—Back, wings, rump, tail, and tail-coverts dark brown with a slight olive tinge; head, neck, throat, and breast bright chestnut; posterior half of breast, abdomen, flanks, under tail-coverts, under wing-coverts and axillars black with wide white cross-bars, most conspicuous on the breast; thighs brown with but little white; primaries and secondaries blackish with wide white bars on inner webs. “Bill blackish, the base tinged light green, tip grayish; legs dull greenish leaden; feet dark lead-gray; nails gray; iris brilliant red.” (Everett.) Length of a male from Basilan, 254; wing, 128; tail, 65; exposed culmen, 23; tarsus, 46; middle toe with claw, 37.
Adult female.—Differs little if any from the male. A specimen from Cagayancillo had upper mandible black; lower mandible pea-green, tip bluish; legs very dark green; nails dark brown. Length, 215; wing, 128; tail, 69; exposed culmen, 23; tarsus, 40; middle toe with claw, 35.
“So far as our observation goes R. eurizonoides is a woods form, all of our specimens having been killed in deep forest. Eyes orange-red; legs and feet dark olive; upper mandible nearly black; lower olive-green.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Smallest of the Philippine rails; bill slender; middle toe with claw longer than tarsus.
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.)
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.
Tarsus less than middle toe with claw and less than twice the culmen; plumage of under parts mostly white.
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.)
In colors this genus resembles Rallina but has the middle toe with claw longer than the tarsus.
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.
Basilan (Steere Exp.). China, Eastern Siberia, Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo.
“Adult male.—Similar to L. fuscus, and having red legs like the latter species; upper surface ashy brown, as also the wings and tail; head ashy brown, with a rufous tinge on the forehead; lores, sides of face, throat, and breast pale vinous-chestnut; chin whitish; sides of breast ashy brown; flanks and thighs white, barred with dusky blackish; under tail-coverts black, barred and tipped with white; axillars and under wing-coverts white, with dusky blackish bars. ‘Bill bluish gray, blackish on the culmen and about the tip, pea-green about the base; inside of mouth flesh-color; iris crimson; eyelid red; legs and toes salmon-color, brownish on the under surface of the tarsi, on the toes, and on their soles.’ (Swinhoe.) Length, 215; culmen, 28; wing, 119; tail, 55; tarsus, 38.
“Young (type of Rallina rufigenis).—Similar to the adult, but duller above, paler rufous below, the abdomen white with a vinous tinge; throat white; wing-coverts much more numerously banded with white.” (Sharpe.)
Steere is the only author who has recorded this species from the Philippines.
Bill rather stout; base of upper mandible slightly swollen; legs and feet large; middle toe with claw longer than tarsus; plumage with neither spots nor bars.
Tin-gaó, Ticao; ba-na-tí-ran, Calayan; ba-hu-goc′, Batan.
Batan (McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Leyte (Everett); Luzon (Meyen, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead); Masbate (McGregor); Mindanao (Platen, Goodfellow); Mindoro (McGregor); Negros (Keay); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Bourns & Worcester); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor).
Adult (sexes alike).—Above olive-brown; below bluish slate-gray, most intense on breast, lighter on chin, throat, and middle of abdomen; flanks and thighs dull olive-brown; under tail-coverts ruddy brown. Iris red; bill sea-green; legs dirty yellow; nails brown. Length of a male from Bohol, 330; wing, 175; tail, 63; culmen from base, 37; tarsus, 65; middle toe with claw, 70. Length of a male from Calayan, 305; wing, 178; tail, 57; culmen from base, 41; tarsus, 69; middle toe with claw, 73. A female from Mindoro, May 6, 1905, measures: Length, 290; wing, 165; tail, 53; culmen from base, 37; tarsus, 57; middle toe with claw, 64.
“A common bird, snared in abundance by the natives. Two sets of eggs were obtained by us in Siquijor. The nest was in each case placed on a slight elevation, and was a mere heap of dried leaves and grasses. The ground-color of the eggs is rather a rich creamy buff. They are heavily blotched and spotted with a rich light chocolate-brown, the blotches being more numerous at the larger end, where they are often confluent. A few inconspicuous lilac markings are also present. The eggs measure from 40.6 to 43 in length, and from 29 to 32 in greatest breadth.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Oates describes two eggs collected in Siquijor in February by the Steere Expedition. “The eggs of the Philippine crake are of a broad oval form, and they have but little gloss. The ground is creamy white, and this is spotted, streaked, and blotched, more thickly at the larger end than elsewhere, with reddish brown and underlying pale purple. Two examples measure respectively 41.9 by 30.9; 39.3 by 28.7.”
A nest of this species found at Balete, Mindoro, was well hidden in a clump of saw-grass. It was very weakly made of dry grass and had a deep cup. The single egg was heavily incubated when taken on May 20. It measures 41.6 by 30.9 mm. The ground-color is pale creamy white. Small spots and fine dots of reddish brown are scattered over the whole shell, but more numerously on the larger end where there are also two large blotches of lavender. A few small lavender dots are scattered over the entire surface.
Sally-quawk, in general use.
Basilan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Cagayan Sulu (McGregor); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Cebu (McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Mindanao (Everett, Martens, Koch & Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Palawan (Platen, White); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Sulu (Guillemard); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester). Indian and Malay Peninsulas, Ceylon, Indo-Burmese Provinces, China, Greater and Lesser Sunda Islands, Celebes.
Adult (sexes alike).—Above including wings dark slate-gray; middle of neck, back, and inner secondaries washed with olive; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts dull brown; forehead, eyebrow, face, sides of neck, chin, throat, and breast white; from behind eye a black streak separating the gray above from the white below, abdomen and thighs washed with light chestnut; flanks and under tail-coverts chestnut; some of the upper tail-coverts slightly chestnut; alula and primaries blackish, first feather of each edged with white; edge of wing white; under wing-coverts blackish, fringed with white; tail blackish. Iris dark brown; upper mandible red behind nostril, remainder dark green; lower mandible pea-green; legs yellowish brown or light brown.
Length, 292 to 305. A male from Danao, Cebu, August 2, 1906, measures: Wing, 147; tail, 63; culmen from base, 38; tarsus, 56; middle toe with claw, 65. A male from Palawan, January 17, 1906, measures: Wing, 156; tail, 69; culmen from base, 37; tarsus, 56; middle toe with claw, 64. A female from Basilan, December 21, 1906, measures: Wing, 147; tail, 58; culmen from base, 35; tarsus, 53; middle toe with claw, 63.
“A very common bird in marshy regions and along fresh-water streams. Called ‘sally-quawk’ by the natives from its notes.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bill moderate, the culmen extending backward on the forehead to opposite center of eye and forming a tumid shield with rounded posterior margin; toes with a narrow fold on each side; middle toe without claw longer than tarsus; plumage black with white on flanks and under tail-coverts.
Ca-rab′ i-tu-mon′, Bohol.
Basilan (McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Cebu (Everett); Guimaras (Bourns & Worcester); Leyte (Everett); Luzon (Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Mindanao (Everett, Bourns & Worcester); Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester); Negros (Keay); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Whitehead). Europe, Asia, Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius.
Adult male.—General color dark slaty gray; head, neck, chin, and throat black shaded into slate-gray posteriorly; back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and inner wing-feathers dark olive-brown; feathers on middle of abdomen more or less fringed with white; several long flank feathers with long white stripes on outer webs; crissum black; under tail-coverts pure white; wings blackish; edge of wing and of first primary white; under wing-coverts and axillars blackish with white tips; tail blackish. “Frontal shield and two-thirds of the bill deep lake-red, and tip of the latter greenish yellow for about one-third; legs olive-green, the broad scaling on the fore part of the tarsus, and the scales of the upper part of the toes, lemon-yellow; joint of heel dusky olive-green, with a shade of lemon-yellow immediately below the garter, which is dark lake-red; iris reddish.” (Sharpe.) Two males from Bohol measure: Wing, 157, 162; tail, 70, 73; bill from posterior margin of frontal shield, 43, 45; bill from nostril, 15, 16; tarsus, 52; middle toe with claw, 76, 77.
Adult female.—Similar to the male but smaller. A female from Basilan measures: 292 in length; wing, 138; tail, 63; culmen from posterior margin of frontal shield, 37; bill from nostril, 14; bill from gape, 27; tarsus, 49; middle toe with claw, 74.
Young.—Above richer brown, top of head washed with brown; below lighter than adult; chin, upper throat, and sides of face white mixed more or less with brown and dark gray; feathers on rest of under parts more or less fringed with brown and white; middle of abdomen pure white.
“The eggs of the moorhen are normally of a broad oval form and have a small amount of gloss. The ground-color varies much, being creamy white, pale greenish white, pale buff or pinkish buff. The markings consist of specks, spots, and bold blotches of deep reddish brown, and a few underlying pale purple spots. The combinations in which these markings occur are numerous. In some, the markings are all small and densely set over the shell; in others, spots are combined with huge blotches which are often confluent. As a rule the larger end of the egg is more thickly marked than the other parts. A few specimens are devoid of all markings except some pale purple blotches. Examples vary from 39.3 to 55 in length and from 27.9 to 36 in breadth.” (Oates.)
Four eggs collected by Whitehead in Samar, August 25, 1896, are thus described: “The eggs are perfectly similar to those laid by European moorhens, but the number of eggs in the clutch, as well as their relatively smaller size, is noteworthy. Measurements 42 by 39.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
Bill stout and of moderate length; frontal shield pointed behind, much larger in males than in females, and in the breeding season terminating in a free horn-like process; legs and toes very long and heavy.
Can-nu-toc′, Manila; tub-tub, Ticao; tu-yud′, Bohol; tug-tug, Masbate.
Bantayan (McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Bourns & Worcester); Luzon (Dussumier, Cuming, Heriot, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester); Mindanao (Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow); Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester); Negros (Keay); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Sibuyan (McGregor); Sulu (Guillemard); Tablas (Celestino); Ticao (McGregor). Ceylon, Burmese provinces to China and Japan, Malay and Indian Peninsulas, Greater Sunda Islands.
“Adult male.—General color above black, with a few remains of ashy gray margins to the feathers, or with brown edgings to the scapulars, lower back, and rump; upper wing-coverts blackish, broadly edged with ashy gray; bend of wing white; alula, primary-coverts, and quills blackish brown, slightly shaded with gray externally, first primary externally white; inner secondaries edged with light brown; tail-feathers blackish, edged with brown; head and neck all round and under surface of body deep black; a few whitish feathers on lower abdomen; under tail-coverts buffy white, with black bars; under wing-coverts black, barred and edged with white; axillars black like the sides of the breast. ‘Frontal shield and base of upper mandible deep red; remainder of bill yellow, a spot on each side of lower mandible red; frontal process or horn pinkish; legs plumbeous green; claws horn-color; iris reddish brown; eyelids plumbeous.’ (Oates.) Length, 419; culmen with frontal shield, 69; wing, 218; tail, 74; tarsus, 79.
“According to Oates, the male in winter has the fleshy process on the head reduced in size or nearly obsolete.
“Adult female.—General color above dark brown with a slight ashy shade, the feathers with sandy buff margins, so that the upper surface appears streaked; lower back and rump rather more uniform; wing-coverts ashy gray, the greater series browner, with fulvous margins like the inner secondaries, which have dusky frecklings also on the outer web; alula ashy brown, the outer feathers edged with white; primary-coverts and quills brown, externally shaded with ashy; first primary white along the outer web; tail-feathers dark brown, edged with lighter brown; crown uniform dark brown, forming a cap; hind neck like the back; lores, eyebrow, sides of face, and sides of neck dark sandy buff; throat and center of the abdomen white; remainder of under surface from the lower throat downwards pale isabelline buff, crossed with narrow wavy bars of dusky brown; lower flanks rather more uniform ashy brown; under tail-coverts more tawny, with dusky brown cross-bars; under wing-coverts and axillars uniform ashy brown, the edge of the wing white; quills uniform ashy brown below. Length, 305; culmen, 38; wing, 173; tail, 66; tarsus, 68; middle toe with claw, 91.
“Young.—Resembles the old female, but much more tawny everywhere, especially on the sides of face, neck, and under parts, the latter being much more narrowly and indistinctly barred with dusky brown than in the adult birds.” (Sharpe.)
“A male and female adult from Catanduanes in the brownish buff plumage of autumn and winter. Neither Dr. Sharpe, in his Catalogue, nor any other author, so far as I am aware, makes the slightest reference to the autumn change of plumage which is so marked in the male, only the breeding dress being described, in which the whole of the hind neck and under parts, as well as the general color of the upper parts, are black. In the fully adult male before me the whole of the under parts from the throat downward are pale buff with rather fine, somewhat wavy, brownish black bars, except on the middle of the belly, which is paler and nearly devoid of markings; the under tail-coverts have the ground-color more rufous-buff; the rest of the plumage also resembles that of the female. The latter does not appear to have any different breeding plumage, or, if she changes, the feathers are very similar to those of the autumn dress.” (Grant.)
“Abundant about paddy-fields in some localities. It nests on the ground in these fields, and the natives found a number of nests for us while cutting rice. They call the bird tug-túg from its note.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
In an adult male from Sibuyan, June 7, 1904, the head and mantle are light slate-gray with dark centers to the feathers and the lower parts are pale slate-gray with numerous light colored cross-lines. Frontal shield and bill to proximal edge of nostril scarlet; base of lower mandible scarlet; rest of bill pea-green; legs dull green; nails dark gray. Length, 432; wing, 241; tail, 86; bill from gape, 37; bill from nostril, 21; tarsus, 81; middle toe with claw, 94.
In an adult male from Guindulman, Bohol, June 3, 1906, the head, face, and lower parts are largely black and except on top of head, the greater number of the feathers are fringed with pale buff or white. Length, 419; wing, 235; tail, 87; bill from gape, 36; bill from nostril, 19; tarsus, 77; middle toe with claw, 94.
Bill stout and very deep; nostrils circular; frontal shield broad, covering the entire forehead, its posterior border square; legs and toes very long and heavy.
Ac-bag′, Manila; ca-rab′ a-bu-hon′, Bohol.
Bohol (McGregor); Luzon (Steere Exp., McGregor); Mindanao (Mearns); Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester).
Adult male.—General color hoary blue, lighter on head, neck, and fore breast; much darker, nearly navy blue on abdomen; crissum white; scapulars and upper back rich olive-brown or russet-brown, the feathers edged more or less with blue; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts duller brown; primaries black, their outer webs verditer-blue; short under wing-coverts blue, the longer ones black; tail blackish edged with verditer-blue.
In a male from the Manila market, March 24, 1903, the bill and shield were dusky cardinal; a space back of nostril and at base of lower mandible whitish; iris reddish brown; legs and feet reddish brown, joints dusky; nails brown. Length, 432; tail, 88; culmen from posterior margin of shield, 74; bill from gape, 41; bill from nostril, 32; tarsus, 93; middle toe with claw, 108.
Adult female.—Similar to the male. A female from Guindulman, Bohol, June 20, 1906, measures: Length, 394; wing, 236; tail, 88; culmen from posterior margin of shield, 67; bill from gape, 35; bill from nostril, 28; tarsus, 83; middle toe with claw, 99.
“Young.—Differs from the adult in being slightly duller in color, in having the quills externally washed with olive, and the breast and abdomen obscured by hoary whitish edgings to the feathers.” (Sharpe.)
“Enormously abundant in the reeds about Lake Naujan in Mindoro, but a shy bird, and one not easily obtained except by snaring.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Anterior toes with a number of rounded lobes on each side; frontal shield rounded.
U-luc′ di-á-blo, Manila.
Luzon (Heriot, McGregor). Europe, Indian Peninsula, Mediterranean countries, northern and central Asia, China, Java, Sumatra, Celebes.
Adult male.—General color above slate-gray, lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail blackish; head, neck, chin, and throat black; under side of body pale slate or smoke-gray; crissum black; edge of wing and of first primary white; under wing-coverts and axillars smoke-gray. “‘Bill very pale lavender, with a pinkish tinge; frontal shield ivory-white; tarsi and feet pearly gray, with a greenish tinge on the sides of the tarsus; garter orange-yellow; iris dark brown’ (R. B. S., MS). Length, 368; culmen from base of shield, 34; wing, 218; tail, 56; tarsus, 33; middle toe and claw, 78.” (Sharpe.)
Adult female.—Similar to the male. In a specimen from Laguna de Bay, Luzon, December 29, 1901, the following colors were noted: Iris dull red; frontal shield and bill white, tip pale horn-brown; feet slate; legs slate with a wash of pale green on middle of tarsi; garter-ring next to feathers dull orange. Wing, 209; tail, 61; culmen including frontal shield, 47; bill from nostril, 15; bill from gape, 32; tarsus, 59; middle toe with claw, 87.
“Young.—Much browner than the adult, feathers of head dusky blackish edged with white; lores, eyebrows, and sides of face white; under surface of body ashy whitish, browner on the flanks.” (Sharpe.)
The black coot is fairly abundant on the Laguna de Bay, Luzon, and doubtless occurs in Mindanao. This bird frequents lakes and ponds and is seldom seen on land.