Vol. XXVI, pp. 83-86 March 22, 1913 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF TH E 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



THE KING KAIL OF CUBA. 

 BY J. II. RILEY. 



Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Ever since I was in Cuba with Mr. William Palmer in 1!)00, 

 and became aware that a form of King Rail was resident on the 

 island, though we failed to obtain a specimen, I have been 

 extremely desirous of examining a series of breeding birds from 

 that island, [n 1911, when Mr. Charles T. Ramsden began to 

 correspond with the Division of Birds, 1 asked him if it would 

 be possible to secure a few breeding King Rail from Cuba for the 

 LL S. National Museum and he promptly replied that he only 

 had one specimen in skin form which he generously presented 

 to the Museum. While this specimen differed in certain 

 particulars from the King Rail, 1 hesitated to name it on the 

 strength of a single specimen. While in Washington in the 

 fall of the past year, Mr. Ramsden said he bad a small series 

 of mounted birds which be would take down and loan me for 

 comparison. This lie has done at considerable trouble, for- 

 warding his entire series, consisting of five birds, all from the 

 type locality. In consideration of the great interest he has 

 shown in the matter and for his intimate knowledge of the 

 ornithology of Cuba, it is no more than just that this form of 

 rail should bear his name and I take great pleasure in naming 

 it in his honor. It may be known as: 



Rallus elegans ramsdeni subsp. nov. 



Type, r. s. National Museum, No. 233,478, adult male, Guantanamo, 

 Cuba, May 4, L910. Collected by Charles T. Ramsden. 



Characters. — Similar to Rallus eler/ans elegans, but smaller, paler, ami 

 sides of head behind eye grayer. 



20— Pboc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. XXVI, 1913. 



