Brown-cheeked Rail

SCI Name:  Rallus indicus
Protonym:  Rallus indicus J.Asiat.Soc.Bengal 18 pt2 p.820
Taxonomy:  Gruiformes / Rallidae / Rallus
Taxonomy Code:  bncrai1
Type Locality:  Lower Bengal and India generally.
Author:  Blyth
Publish Year:  1849
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

RALLUS
(Rallidae; Ϯ Water Rail R. aquaticus) Probably from Med. French Rasle or Râle  rail (supported by Sundevall 1873: "Nomen Rallus, primum Rasle, Bélon, dein Râle, est vox gallica medii ævi, nec latina, sed usu diuturno probata",  and BOU 1915: “the latinized form of the French Rale, our Rail, Dutch Ral”), but Gessner 1555 states, "Rallus hæc avis circa Venetias appellatur", and Macleod 1954, has “Latinized form of German ralle, rail (bird)”; "83. RALLUS.  Rostrum basi crassius, compressum, dorso attenuatum apicem versus, æquale, acutum.  Pedes tetradactyli, fissi.  Corpus compressum." (Linnaeus 1758); ex “Rallus aquaticus” of Willughby 1676, and “Water Rail. Rallus Aquaticus” of Albin 1731; "Rallus Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 153. Type, by subsequent designation, Rallus aquaticus Linné. (Fleming, Mem. Wernerian Nat. Hist. Soc., 3, 1821, p. 176.)" (Peters 1934, II, 157). Linnaeus's Rallus comprised five species (R. Crex, R. aquaticus, R. lariformis, R. benghalensis, R. carolinus).
Var. Railus, Ralus, Rallas, Rullus, Ballus.
Synon. Biensis, Epirallus.

indicus
L. Indicus  Indian  < India  India. In early ornithology the term Indiis was also applied to the East Indies and, less frequently, to the West Indies and the Guianas.
● India and Tibet; ex “Barred-headed Goose” of Latham 1787 (Anser).
● Erroneous TL. India (= South Carolina) (syn. Baeolophus bicolor).
● Java; ex “Javan Hawk” of Latham 1781 (Butastur).
● ex “Indian Goatsucker” of Latham 1787 (Caprimulgus).
● ex “Drongolon” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 174, and “Long-tailed Shrike” of Latham 1822 (syn. Dicrurus macrocercus).
● ex "Psittaca indica coccinea” of Brisson, “Perruche des Indes orientales” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 143, “Lori Perruche violet et rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Indian Lory” of Latham 1781 (syn. Eos histrio).
● ex “Lohaujung Heron” of Latham 1787 (syn. Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus).
● ex “Eastern black Cuckow” of Lastham 1787 (syn. Eudynamys scolopaceus).
● ex “Grand Vautour des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782 (Gyps).
● ex “Indian Curucui” of Latham 1787 (?syn. Harpactes fasciatus).
● ex “Merle des Indes orientales” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 273, fig. 2 (syn. Lalage nigra).
● ex “Smallest red and green Indian Paroquet” of Edwards 1743-1751, “Psittacula indica” of Brisson 1760, and “Red and green indian Parrot” of Latham 1781 (syn. Loriculus beryllinus).
● ex “Indian Jacana” of Latham 1787 (Metopidius).
● ex “Little Hawk Owl of Ceylon” of Pennant 1769, and “Indian Eared Owl” of Latham 1781 (syn. Otus bakkamoena).
● ex “Gélinote des Indes” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Indian Grous” of Latham 1783 (Pterocles).
● ex “White-chinned Bustard” of Latham 1783, and “Passarage Bustard” of Latham 1787 (Sypheotides).
● ex “Rossignol de muraille des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782 (Tarsiger).
● ex “Bécassine blanche des Indes” of Sonnerat 1776, and “White indian Snipe” of Latham 1785 (?Tringa erythropus).
● Erroneous TL. India (= Gamtoos River, Cape Province, South Africa); ex “Indian Coly” of Latham 1787 (Urocolius).
● ex “Vanneau armé des Indes” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Vanellus).
● ex “Little redwinged Parrakeet” of Edwards 1758-1764, and “Psittaca indica” of Brisson 1760 (unident.).
● India; ex “Sicrin” of Levaillant 1801, pl. 82 (artefact).