GRALLvE. 63 



neck beyond, and the whole of the breast, bright rufous-brown, with narrow transverse 

 bands of black ; general upper-surface, fulvous-brown, varied with black, barred and spotted 

 with pale rufous ; under-parts black, handsomely fasciated with white and rufous-browu. 



L., 12-5 ; W., 5; B., 1-5; T., 1-5. 



Hab. — Chatham Islands. Very rare if not extinct. 



92. RalluS brachipus. Swains. 



Head and sides of neck rufous, striated with black on the crown and nape ; upper-sur- 

 face, black striped with olive ; under-surface, slate-grey ; the abdomen banded broadly with 

 black and narrowly with white ; bill, brownish-red ; feet, flesh- colour. 



TJgg.—V&\e olive-colour, blotched all over with reddish and dark brown ; length, 1*25 ; 

 breadth, '8. 



Hab. — Auckland Islands. (Baron A. Von Hiigel.) 



Ortygometea. L. 



Like Sallus, but the bill shorter than the head. 

 All parts of the world. 



93. Ortygometra aflBnis. Grag. 



Watee Ceake. Koitaeeke. 

 (Plate XXVII.) 

 Above, brown, spotted with white and varied with black ; below, light grey ; sides, 

 thighs, and abdomen, barred with black and white ; legs, feet, and bill, browuish-green. 

 L., 7-5 ; W., 325 ; B., -75 ; T„ 1-1. 

 Sab. — Both Islands. 



" This handsome little Crake is found in both Islands ; but it 

 is everywhere extremely rare and difficult to obtain. It frequents 

 the sedgy banks of creeks and rivers, and the reed-covered lagoons 

 near the sea-coast. It swims with great facility, and, like other 

 members of the genus, often eludes pursuit by diving. Its food 

 appears to consist of aquatic insects and small freshwater mollusks." 



BULLER. 



94. Ortygometra tabuensis. Gml. 



Swamp Ceake. Putoto. 

 (Plate XXVII.) 

 Slate-blue, brownish on the back ; under-tail coverts, black banded with white ; bill, 

 black ; legs and feet, red. 



L., 6-5; W., 3-2; B., '75; T., 11. 



Sab. — Both Islands ; Australia, Tasmania, Polynesia. 



"This elegant little Rail has a wide geographical distribution. 

 According to Mr. Gould it is universally spread over the whole of 

 Australia, Tasmania, and the islands in Bass's Strait. It also occurs 

 in the Society, Tonga, and Fiji groups, and probably over the whole 

 extent of the Polynesian archipelago. It is sparingly dispersed with 

 us over both Islands, frequenting wet and swampy localities, and 

 especially the dense beds of raupo {Ti/pha angustifolia) , which afford 

 it abundant shelter. Its compressed form enables it to thread its 

 way among the close-growing reed-stems with wonderful celerity; and, 

 although its low purring note (resembling that of a brood hen) may 



