( 185 ) 



other, a smaller bird and generally, tjiough not always, more spotted, was discovered 

 by Habel on Indefatigable Island, but united with C. spilonotus by Salvia. Dr. 

 Sliarpe at once saw that they were different species, but somehow he referred the 

 name o^ Zaponiia spilonota to the form from Indefatigable Island, although Darwin 

 had never landed on the latter isle, and specially mentions that he got the rails on 

 James Island. Apart from the evidence of locality, the figure of this rail iu the 

 Voi/ayc of the Beayle, III. (Birds) and the original description are evidently, in our 

 ojiinion, those of the large, dark form from James Island. Dr. Sharpe believes that 

 the type of Za pornia spilonofn is lost, but we see-no reason for doubt that the skins 

 now in the British Museum are actually the types, since there are no others of which 

 we know, and since Gould was not always careful to mark the specimen from which 

 he made the original description as the "type." We have no doubt at all that 

 the name " spilonota " belongs to the rail from James Island, and that therefore 

 ^^ Forznnn galapfigornsis" Sharpe is a synonym of the latter. We cannot, either, 

 agree with Dr. Sharpe that this form belongs to another genus than the rail from 

 Indefatigable. The sole difference between the two Galapageian rails is that the 

 one from James Island is a little larger, with stronger beak and legs, slightly deeper 

 brown back, and unspotted or very slightly spotted wing-coverts, while the rail from 

 Indefatigable is a little smaller, with smaller bill and legs, lighter brown back, and 

 generally more frequently spotted wing-coverts, flanks, and lower abdomen, while 

 the back and rump is also mostly dotted with white. The amount of the white 

 spotting varies very much, being less and almost quite absent in some individuals. 



We have not received Crecisctcs sj»lonotus, which is only, as far as we are 

 aware, represented in the British Museum at present. 



2. Creciscus sharpei sp. no v. 



Porzana spilonota (not Zapomia spilonota Gould !), Sclater and Salvin in Proc. Zool. Soc. Land. 



(1868) p. 456, (1870) p. 323 ; Salvin in Trans. Zool. Sue. Loml IX. p. OOO (partim !). 

 Creciscus spilonotus, Sharpe, Cat. Brit. Mus. XXIII. p. 137 (1894). 

 Porzana spiloiiutd (partim !), Ridgway in Proc. U.S. IWil. Mus. XIX. p. 618. 



Indefatigable Island (Habel and Harris' expedition). 



c? ad. Head, nape, and underside as far as the abdomen slate-colonr. Rest of 

 npperside chocolate-brown, lighter and more brownish on the upper back and neck, 

 darkest on the rump and upper tail-coverts, which are almost blackish. Wing- 

 coverts nearly always, back, rump and upper tail-coverts in some individuals 

 frequently spotted with white, inner secondaries mostly spotted with white. Lower 

 abdomen and flanks brownish slate-colour, more or less spotted or barred with white, 

 under tail-coverts spotted with white. Iris red, bill blackish, feet dark brown. 

 Total length (in the flesh) UO to 104 mm., wing 67 to 69, bill from end of frontal 

 plumes 1.5-0 to 16-6, middle toe and claw 27 to 29, tarsus about 21. 



¥ ad. Differs from the male in having the chin and upper throat lighter, almost 

 whitish grey, in being a shade lighter slaty grey below, iu being, perhaps, less 

 spotted with white, on the whole, and generally a little smaller. Total length (in 

 the flesh) 137 to 145 mm., wing 65 to 67, 



We have received four males and io\w females, evidently all adult individuals, 

 shot in September and October 1897. 



Creciscus sharpei is hardly more than a subspecies of C. spilonotus. If tlie 

 genus Creciscit.'i is separated from Porzana, then there is no doubt that the 

 Galapageian forms belong to Creciscus, as a comparison will show at a glance. 



