- 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.