* 3°
Place and
Manners.
4*
PHILIPPINE R.
D escription.
R A I L .
lower order of coverts, and tail, barred chefnut and black : legs
flout, brown.
Thefe inhabit New Zealand, particularly in Dujky Bay, where
they are numerous, and are called IVater Hens-, and indeed, at a
diftance, appear not unlike Fowls. They run fwiftly, and fcratch
on the ground like our poultry : from the lhortnefs of their wings
are unable to fly, nor do they ever take to the water : chiefly
met with on a fea-beach, and the Ikirts of woods, where they
pick up worms, &c. their chief food. Are often found under the
roots of trees j and will frequently run into holes, and hide under
the bufhes : faid to cry againft rain. Are very tame, info-
much as to fuffer themfelves to be knocked down with a flick.
Were efteemed as good food by our people, but thought to be
beft when Ikinned: the fat is high-coloured, inclining to
orange *.
They are found alfo in Charlotte Sound, and on the neighbouring
iflands, but in very fmall numbers.
Rallus Philippenfis, Z;W. Syy?. j. p. 263. 7.
Le Râle des Philippines, Brif. On. v. p. 163. 4. pi. 14. fig. 1 ._PI,
Enl. 774.
Le Tiklin, on Râle des Philippines, Buf. Otf. viii. p. 160.
g I Z E of the firft fpecies : length eleven inches. Bill thirteen
lines and a half long; colour grey : the upper parts of the
head, neck, and body, are duiky, the feathers edged with rufous
grey ; fome of the fcapulars fpotted with white : over each eye a
white ftreak, tending, to the hind head ; beneath this a broader
* Dr, Forjltr.
one,
R A I L. 231
one, palling through the eyes backwards: throat dirty white:
fore part of the neck rufous grey, marked with tranfverfe in-
diftinft brownilh bands : breaft, belly, fides, and thighs, barred
grey and brown ; leaft fo on the belly, where it is almoft white :
wings marked with white and chefnut fpots: greater coverts
barred with chefnut: quills brown, the two firft marked on tire
outer edge of each web with white, and towards the fhaft with
chefndt; the reft only with the laft colour : tail duiky, edo-ed
with rufous grey; all but the two middle feathers fpotted on the
inner web with chefnut: legs grey.
Inhabits the Philippine iflands, where it is called Tiklin. Place.
Lev» Mu/l
T E N G T H ten inches. Bill an inch and a quarter, and
brown : noftrils in a long furrow : the head and fides, taking
in the eye and nape, ferruginous chefnut: from bafe of bill over
the eye pafies a pale ftreak almoft to the hind head : the upper
part of the body brown, but each feather marked with a black
and white tranfverfe ftripe near the end, giving the appearance
of black and white ftripes on a brown ground : the hind part of
the neck appears ftriated, but on the back more like fpots, and
more white than black : the rump is plain : the under parts from
the chin, and down the middle to the breaft, alh-colour; but the
neck on the fides, the breaft and belly, are ftriated with black
and white : vent pale ferruginous brown : the wing coverts not
to be diftinguilhed in markings from the back : quills fpotted
brown and white : the tail is very little longer than the wings:
the legs are flelh-colour; claws brown.
Inhabits Otaheite.
4-
V ar. A.
D escrip tion.
Pl . LXXXVf.
Place»
T H E