94 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



they distinct species, but that they belong to different sub- 

 genera. Inasmuch, however, as there is a fatal mistake in 

 Captain Hutton^s premises, his conclusions go for nothing. 



No two species of Rail, I should say, are more easily dis- 

 tinguishable than Rallus philippensis and R. dieffenbachii. I 

 have rejected subgeneric distinctions altogether in my work, 

 or I would willingly have referred these forms to different 

 subgenera, as was originally proposed by the late Mr. G. B,. 

 Gray. No naturalist who had actually seen the birds would 

 attempt to unite them as a species. 



The fallacy of Captain Hutton's case is, that he laboui's to 

 disprove a proposition of his own making ; for no one ever 

 asserted what he assumes — that Rallus philippensis and Rallus 

 dieffenbachii are the same or very nearly allied species. 



Captain Hutton affects astonishment at my mention of 

 " other competent ornithologists " without giving their names. 

 I presume that an author who undertakes to write the history 

 of the birds of any country is at liberty to form his own judg- 

 ment as to who are " competent " authorities in matters of 

 reference, and to fortify himself with their opinions, especially 

 when he accepts himself the entire responsibility of the con- 

 clusions arrived at. It is neither usual nor necessary in such 

 cases to " give the names.'^ But as Captain Hutton thinks 

 he has discovered " a very serious error,^^ I may mention that 

 both Mr. Salvin and Mr. Sharpe, who compared with me the 

 type of Rallus modestus with the specimen of R. dieffenbachii 

 in the British Museum, pronounced the one, in their opinion, 

 the young of the other. It would be superfluous to add other 

 names ; but all to whom Captain Hutton's bird was shown 

 took it to be an immature specimen. 



I am, &c., 



Walter L. Buller. 



November 11, 1873. 



Northrepps, Norwich, 

 October 10, 1873. 



Sir, — In my edition of the late Mr. Andersson^s 'Notes on 

 the Birds of Damaraland ' I have included as a Damara species 



