252 Capt. S. U. Reid—fFi?iter 



88. PORPHYRIO C^RULEUS. 



We were very much astouished at uot sceiug tliis bird in 

 the marshes and " sotos/'' especially as we very often heard 

 its call-note. The Moors invariably concluded that we could 

 only be fools enough to flounder about in the mud and water 

 in pursuit of this handsome bird ; they do not see the object 

 of shooting such a miserable little creature as a Snipe. The 

 local name of the Purple Waterhen varied from " Kazeid " 

 to " Kongeid/' and we never heard the name " Kazir/' given 

 by Favier (Irby, op. cit. p. 146). 



89. Gallinula chloropus. 



Tolerably common. It is somewhat odd that we never 

 obtained any Rails or Crakes^ and only saw one bird belong- 

 ing to the family, probaljly Porzana maruetta, at Masharal- 

 haddar. 



90. Grus communis. 



A good niauy seen, usually on the wing in small flocks, 

 very noisy. 



91. Grus virgo. 



A pair of birds seen on several occasions by Capt. Gould 

 and myself when Duck-shooting in the marshes in the Laraish 

 valley were unhesitatingly recorded in my diary under the 

 above head. I do not think we could have been mistaken, 

 as the birds passed within 200 yards of us once or twice ; still, 

 seeing is not believing, and the bird being apparently of rare 

 occurrence in Morocco, I can only give the note for what it 

 may be worth. 



92. Otis tarda. 



Olcese has a small specimen, a female, obtained recently 

 near Tangier. Capt. Gould informs me that in January 

 1875 he saw and vainly pursued three Great Bustards near 

 Masharalhaddar. 



93. ffiniCNEMUS SCOLOPAX. 



Common on the plains in small flocks. Once seen in a 

 larger flock of about flfty birds. 



94. Charadrius fluvialis. 

 Very common on the plains. 



