122 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



single birds. An immature individual, a male, is very brown above^ 

 and on first glance seems to be identical in color with the adult of 

 cachinnans. In the northern bird immature specimens in addition 

 to being more extensively white below are browner above than adults^ 

 a distinction that seems to hold in galeata as well. Though this im- 

 mature is similar to the adult of cachinnans it is darker and more 

 olivaceous than the immature of that form, in addition to being 

 less extensively white below. A second specimen is somewhat inter- 

 mediate in stage of plumage. 



Measurements of these specimens, in millimeters, are as follows: 

 Five males, wing, 170-186 (176.5) ; tail, 66-74.2 (69.9) ; tarsus 52.5- 

 62.6 (57.2). Two females, wing, 164-177.6 (170.8); tail, 62.8-67.5 

 (65.1); tarsus, 50-56.2 (53.1). 



On one of the large lagoons at the Riaclio Pilaga gallinules were 

 common, and when first seen as they were swimming about in open 

 water at a distance I mistook them for coots. An Indian to whom 

 I appealed for a boat quickly fashioned a crude pointed raft with 

 three or four armloads of tall, green cat-tails, bound together with 

 a few of the tougher stems, and on this somewhat precarious craft 

 I paddled out to explore the lagoon. The gallinules were shy but 

 by working up behind concealing points of rushes I succeeded in 

 shooting several, as well as a grebe, before all had flown or swam 

 into shelter of the rushes. A few days later an Indian brought me 

 more that he had killed at the same place. 



At Rio Negro, Uruguay, on February 18, 1921, the birds were 

 common in the vegetation concealing the water of a small lagoon. 

 Near Tunuyan, Mendoza, two were recorded March 26. 



PARDIRALLUS RYTIRHYNCHOS RYTIRHYNCHOS (Vieillot) 



Rallus rytirhynclios Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 28, 1819, p. 549. 

 (Paraguay.) 



Eight specimens of this species were secured, six of Avhich were 

 preserved as skins, one as a skeleton, and one in alcohol. An adult 

 male from Lazcano, Uruguay, shot February 7, 1921, and an adult 

 male from Rio Negro, Uruguay, taken Februaiy 18, differ constantly 

 from a series from Buenos Aires in darker, duller coloration. It is 

 possible that these should be separated as typical rytirhynchos and 

 that the Argentine birds represent another form. These birds vary 

 individually to such an extent that a considerable series will be 

 needed to establish or disprove this point. An adult male from 

 General Roca, Rio Negro, in northern Patagonia, taken December 3, 

 1920, and two males and a female from Tunuyan, Mendoza, secured 

 March 23, 25, and 28, 1921, agree in color and are similar to others 

 from Argentina. 



