AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

107. Porphyrio poliocephalus

107. Porphyrio poliocephalus.

THE PURPLE MOORHEN.

Keim, Kharim. India; Kem, Bengal; Nila bolakodi (Telugu); Sannary, Ceylon.

Male 18" to 19". Legs brick-red, joints darkened. Bill red, with spot. Mid toe and claw 4.65". Wing-coverts pale blue. Breast pure blue., Under-tail white. Caucasus to Mesopotamia, Afghanistan, India, Ceylon, Burma. Six to eight eggs (1 93 x 1.39), pale pink, spotted red and purple. (J. 902. B. 1404.) See illustration, p. 131.

Also P. palliatus. Range unknown.
P. caerulescens. Formerly in Reunion.
P. mackintoshi. Extinct species from New Zealand.
P. coeruleus. 16". Mid toe and claw 4.9". From Mediterranean countries. P. porphyrio. 16". Mid toe and claw 4.6". From Africa. P. bemmeleni. From Sumatra.
P. calvus. 15 1/2". Mid toe and claw 3.8". Java to S. Celebes.
P. edwardsi. 18". Mid toe and claw 4.35". Cochin China to Malay Peninsula.
P. ellioti. 15 1/2", Mid toe and claw 4". From Admiralty Islands.
P. bellus. 17 1/2". Mid toe and claw 4.6". From W. Australia.
P. chathamensis. 17". Mid toe and claw 3.8". From Chatham Islands.
P. smaragdimus. 15". Mid toe and claw 3.8". N. Celebes to Fiji and Friendly Islands.
P. samoensis. 13 1/2". Mid toe and claw 3.7". Samoan Islands.
P. melanonotus, 16", mid toe and claw 4.5", from Australia and Tasmania, New Zealand and New Guinea; with one subspecies— P. pelewensis, 15", mid toe and claw 4.1", from Pelew Islands.
P. pulverulentus. 15". Mid toe and claw 4-2". From the Philippines.

Also the genus Notornis. One species. Without power of flight. Wing-coverts elongated. N. mantelli, 20", mid toe and claw 3.7"; and one species, N. alba, now extinct, from Norfolk Island*.

Also the genus Aptornis, now extinct, from New Zealand. Two species—A. otidiformis from North Island and A. defossor from South Island.

BookTitle: 
Game, Shore And Water Birds Of India
Reference: 
Le Messurier, Augustus. Game, Shore, and Water Birds of India Fourth Edition, 1904.
Title in Book: 
107. Porphyrio poliocephalus
Book Author: 
A Le Messurier
CatNo: 
107
Year: 
1904
Page No: 
132
Common name: 
Purple Moorhen
M_ID: 
3713
M_SN: 
Porphyrio porphyrio poliocephalus
Volume: 
4th ed.
id: 
12812

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