NOTITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXIV. 1917. 269 



nor is there a specimen in the Brehm Collection from which this description could 

 be taken.) 



Very similar to G. c. orientalis, but toes and tarsus as a rule distinctly shorter, 

 sometimes however diificult to distinguish. Wings about 150-175 mm. 



Tropical Africa to Cape Colony, St. Thome and Annobon. Also the Sey- 

 chelle Islands, PrasHn, He aux Fous, St. Digne, and probably He Aride. The 

 four skins from He Aride have the under tail-coverts more or less buS, almost 

 as in pyrrhorhoa, and the wings are rather shorter than in the majority of brachyp- 

 tera. I believe, however, that they must all be females, though sexed as males, 

 but the collector, Thibault, was not reliable in that respect. Curiously the 

 upper wing-coverts are also rather more brownish than they usually are in 

 brachyptera. It is hardly credible that on the small islet called He Aride, close 

 to the He aux Fous, a special form should exist ! 



» 

 6. Gallinula chloropus pyrrhorhoa Newt. 



Gallinula pyrrhorhoa Newton, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1861, p. 18 (Mauritius). 



Under tail-coverts always distinctly deep buff. In other subspecies, chiefly 

 in G. c. chloropus, the lateral under tail-coverts are sometimes, especially in 

 freshly moulted autumn specimens, more or less buff, but not regularly and 

 so intensely as in this form. 



Mauritius, Reunion, and Madagascar. 



7. Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis Streets. 



Gallinula sandvicensis Streets, Ibis, 1877, p. 2.5 (Oahu). 



At once recognisable by the extended frontal shield in old birds. Toes 

 rather short and slender, more red in front of tarsus. 



Sandwich Islands. Though better differentiated than most other forms, 

 after all only subspecies according to my present views. 



8. Gallinula chloropus galeata (Licht.). 



Crex galeata Lichtenstein, Verz. Doubl. Mus. Berlin, p. 80 (1823 — Sao Paulo, Brazil). 



Easily recognisable by the widely extended frontal shield, which is truncate 

 (not rounded) behind. 



Southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Northern Argentina, Eastern Bolivia. 



9. Gallinula chloropus pauxilla Bangs. 



Gallinnla chloropus pauxilla Outram Bangs, Proc. New England Zool. Club, v. p. 96 (1915 — West 

 Colombia). 



Like G. c. galeata, but much smaller. 



West Colombia, probably also West Ecuador, and perhaps even farther 

 south. 



10. Gallinula chloropus cachinnans Bangs. 



Gallinula chloropus carchinnans Bangs, Proc. New England Zool. Club, v. p. 96 (1915 — North America. 

 Type Florida). 



Easily separable by the colour of the back and scapulars, which are cf a 

 more or less reddish brown, though variable, according to Bangs, from " argus 



