370 Letters, Announcements, 6)*c. 



to distinguish one from the other; there is good reason, how- 

 ever, for thinking that they are doing well and are associating 

 with the island-Canary. Very recently, I believe that I saw 

 and heard one of them ; others have told me that they have 

 heard their note. What is the fate of the solitary Starling, 

 which was let out with the others, I know not ; its companion 

 escaped at sea, on the voyage out, could not be recaptured, and 

 most probably perished. . 



Yours, &c., 



J. C. Melliss. 



New York, 13 March, 1871. 



Dear Sir, — I cannot agree with you and Mr. Sclater that 

 my Porzana guatemalensis and Porzana concolor are identical. I 

 will endeavour to point out how they differ. I have two fine spe- 

 cimens of Porzana castanea from Brazil, and one of P. concolor 

 from Jamaica, which do not appear to differ : therefore I agree 

 with you as to their identity. But all are much larger than the 

 dimensions given in your monograph, the three being very 

 uniform in their measurements, which are as follows : — P. con- 

 color. Length 10 in., wing 5-|^, tail 2^, tarsi If ; bdl from front, 

 following the curve, ly\-, from rictus to tip 1-j^, 



Now my P. guatemalensis measures : — Length 8 in., wing 4f, 

 tail 2^, tarsi 1|, bill from tip to front and to rictus 1. 



The specimens of P. concolor are much alike in colour, one 

 from Brazil rather lighter below than the other two ; but none 

 are so dark as my species, which is of a cinnamon-brown above, 

 and of a deeper reddish-chestnut below ; the wings are of a much 

 brighter colour in P. concolor. Although the two have a gene- 

 ral resemblance to one another in colour, the larger size, longer 

 and stronger bill of P. concolor readily establish the distinc- 

 tion of P. guatemalensis as a species. 



Yours, &c., 



G. N. Lawrence. 



[The dimensions, as given in our monograph, of P. concolor, 



taken from Gosse^s type in the British Museum are as follows : — 



Length 8-5, wing 4-8, tail 2-6, tarsi 17, bill M. Those of 



