14 RALLIDj;;. 



Rallus longirostris saturatus, Ridqto. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. iii. n. 201 



(1880) ; Cones, Check-l. N. Amer. B. p. 109 (1882); id. Key N. 



Amer. B. 2nd ed. p. 672 (1884) ; A. O. U. Check-l. N. Amer. B. 



p. 141 (1886) ; Ridgw. Man. N. Amer. B. p. 137 (1887). 

 Rallus longirostris, y. saturatus, Baird, Breiver, i§- Ridyw. Water-B. 



N.Amer. i. p. 359 (1884). 

 Rallus longirostris scottii, Sennett, Auk, v. p. 306 (1888) ; Chapm. 



t. c. p. 394. 

 Rallus crepitans satiu-atus, A. O. U. Check-l. 2nd Suppl., Auk, vii. 



p. 65 (1890). 

 Rallus scottii, A. O. U. Check-l. 2nd Suppl, Auh, vii. p. 65 (1890) ; 



Breioster ^- Chapm. Auk, viii. pp. 133-135 (1891 : Suwanee River) ; 



Scott, Auk, ix. p. 212 (1892 : Florida). 



Adult male. Similar to R. crepitans, but everj'wliere much darker. 

 Total length 14-5 inches, culmen 2-4:5, wing 6, tail 2-45, tarsus 2"1, 

 middle toe and claw 2-2. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in colour. Total length 13'5 

 inches, culmen 2-3, wing 5-6, tail 2*2, tarsus 1'8, middle toe and 

 claw 1-95. 



Nestling. Covered with black down on the upper surfoce, the 

 feathers as they appear being black with grej' margins ; a spot 

 below the ej'e, a broad malar stripe, and the chin pure wliite, as 

 well as the abdomen ; on the fore neck and chest is a very distinct 

 tinge of pale vinous ; the thighs isabelline white, with dusky tips to 

 the feathers ; sides of the body dusky blackish, with a few whitish 

 bars. 



The above description is taken from nestlings procured by Mr. 

 W. E. D. Scott in May and June. 



The characters of the full-grown young birds are not very forcibly 

 indicated as regards the colour of the upi^er surface. Six specimens 

 obtained by Mr. Scott in August do not differ from the old bird in 

 any appreciable way, the head in every case being uniform blackish 

 brown, while the centres to the feathers of the upper parts var}- 

 between brown and black, the black-centred feathers being apparently 

 the new ones donned at the first autumn moult. The under surface 

 of the bod}' is, for the most part, olive-brown, the flanks showing a 

 few narrow bars of whitish, these bars having a dusky margin. The 

 throat is white, shading gradually off into pale vinous buff on the 

 lower throat and towards the cheeks, the latter being pale vinous, 

 like the fore neck and chest, the feathers of which are obscured by 

 dusky-olive tips ; thighs ashy, with dusky cross bars of isabelline ; 

 under tail-coverts white, none of the feathers pure white, but most 

 of them showing large twin spots of black ; sides of face and sides 

 of crown dark grey. Other specimens have the whole of the breast 

 whitish, like the abdomen, with dusky tips and edges to the feathers. 

 Some individuals, on the otber hand, have the greater part of the 

 under surface pale isabelline vinous or light cinnamon ; the tmder 

 tail-coverts black, barred across with white. 



The specimens killed by Mr. Scott after the moult are not 

 numerous enough for me to determine precisely the exact character 

 of the young bird in its first full winter plumage. In a large series 



