I 



37. LIMNOCORAX. 151 



139 (Luakba, Likulwe) ; lieicheyi. J.f. O. 1889, p. 207 (Zanzi- 

 bar, July, Nov.; Quilimane, Jan.) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mm. si. 

 p. I.'i7 ("1889: Liberia, breeding-). 



Rallus aithiops, Fors/rr, Bescr. Anim. p. 400 (1844). 



Coretlirura nigra, '^Acht. Nomencl. Av. p. 90 (1854). 



Limnocorax capensis, | „ , ,,„ ,, , r> i- ^o-^ loo 



1 • 1 • ^ Peters, MB. Akad. Berlin, 18o4, p. 188. 



Limnocorax senegaleusis, ( ' > » r 



Lininocorax mosambiciis, Peters, I. c. ; Kirk, Ibis, 1804, p. 33o (Zam- 

 besi) ; Cab. in Von der Decken, Peis. iii. p. 51 (1869) ; Cab. J.f. 0. 



1878, p. i'46 (Kitiii). 

 Liinnocorax flavirostris, Hartl. J. f. O. 1858, p. 361 ; Gurnei/, Ibis, 



\m-l, p. 35 (Natal) ; Sd. P. Z. 8. 1804, p. 144 ; Monteiro, P. Z. S. 



1800, p. 95 (Anjrola) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1869, p. 195 (Fantee) ; Ilartert, 



J. f. O. 1886, p. 008 (Loko, June) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1892, p. 546 



(Turquel). 

 Ortvp'ometra ervtiiropus, Heiiql. Sijst. Uebers. p. 04 (1856) ; id. J. 



f. O. 1803, p. 28; Anfin. Cat. descr. Ucc. p. Ill (1804). 

 Ortvgometra ila-sirostra. Cuss. Proc. Philnd. Acad. 1859, p. 175 



(Gamma R.) ; Hartl. J.f. O. 1861, p. 272 (Casamance) ; Grai/, 



Iland-l. B. iii. p. 02, no. 'l0459 (1871). 

 Lininocorax ervtiiropus, IIcik/I. J. f. O. 1863, p. 170. 

 Porzana ni.!n-a,".SV>^/. Mas. Pmjs-Bcts, Ralli, p. 34 (I860). 

 (Jallinula nigra, Lni/ard.B. S. Afr. p. -342 (1867). 

 Gallinula aterrima, lletu/l. J.f. O. 1867, p. 303. 

 Limnocorax niger, Gurney, Ibis, 1868, p. 470 (Mooi River) ; Ai/res, 



i/^w, 1874, p. 105 ; Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 213 (Potchefstroom; ; 



Ayres, Ibi.^, 1878, p. 301 (Potchefstroom) ; Oust. K. Arch. Mus. 



(2) ii. Bidl. p. 114 (1879: Ogowe River, Dec); Socage, Om. 



Angola, p. 481 (1881); JV. A. Forl>es, Ibis, 1883, pp. 512-537 



(Niger); Sharjv, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 618 (1884); If. 



Ayres, Ibis, 1887, p. 62 (Umzeila's Countrv) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1888, 



p. 304 (Jipi) ; id. Ibis, 1893, p. 29 (Mpimbi). 



Adult male. General colour above and below black, the hind 

 neck, mantle, scapulars, and wing-covcrts shaded with ashy grcj', a 

 tint of which colour also overspreads the under surface: the back 

 and wings with a shade of deep chocolate-brown : " bill dull dark 

 green; tarsi and feet dull red; iris crimson {T. Ayres). Total 

 length 7 inches, culmen 1, wing 3-9, tail 1"3, tarsus l-o, middle toe 

 and daw 1-8. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in colour : " bill light greenish 

 yellow ; tarsi and feet deep rose-red ; iris bright crimson ; eyelids 

 rosy red " ( T. Ay7-es). 



Xestlinrj. Entirely covered with black down : " bill flesh-colour, 

 with a black cross-band before the nostrils, becoming broader on 

 the lower mandible ; feet brown ; iris brown " (J. Biiliikofer). 



Younrj. Chocolate-brown instead of black like the adult, with a 

 little ashy grey, showing the adult plumage : lores and feathers 

 above and below the eye whitish ; under surface of body ashy grey, 

 whiter on the cheeks and throat. 



The depth of grey shading on the adult bird varies gieatly. The 

 most intensely black individuals are those from Gaboon, and there 

 is scarcely any grey or brown shades on their plumage. 



Hah. Nearly the whole of Africa. 



