the Museum at Canterbury, New Zealand. 37 



Westland. This handsome bird, at first sights bears a strong 

 resemblance to Rallus pectoralis, Gould, from the similarity in 

 the colours and jnarkings of its plumage; a closer examination 

 discloses its superior size and more slender figure, some differ- 

 ence in the shape of the bill, and a well-defined garter above 

 the tarsal joint, thus showing a marked departure from the form 

 of its better-known congener. 



The bill difi"ers from that of R. pectoralis in presenting a 

 form less wedge-like, more produced, with the culmen slightly 

 raised ; the shallow furrows in which the lateral nostrils are 

 pierced are less angular ; this organ also possesses a greater 

 degree of flexibility ; that it is comparatively weaker, one may 



judge from the relative measurements of the bills of the two 

 species : — 



JR. pectoralis, JR. pictus. 



in. lin. in. lin. 



Length of upper mandible from gape ....15 17 



Length of under mandible 1 3f 1 6^ 



Width of bill at base 3^ 3" 



Depth of bill at base 4^ 85 



In addition to the peculiarities of the bill thus pointed out, it 

 possesses a leg better adapted for wading than that of the 

 closely alUed species; the tibia is bared of feathers to the width 

 of half an inch above the tarsal joint. It is not surprising that, 

 amidst the dense tangled thickets of rush or cane that border 

 the swampy lagoons of the west coast, it has hitherto generally 

 eluded observation. Considering the shy, retiring habits of the 

 group to which it belongs, it would there find abundant shelter 

 for concealment, whilst its slender form, its compressed figure, 

 almost canoe-like, is wonderfully well fitted for rapidly threading 

 the intricate mazes of the rank aquatic or semiaquatic vegeta- 

 tion amidst which it finds its food. From its short concave 

 wings, it is evident it must depend less on securing safety by 

 flight than on the rapidity with which it can conceal itself from 

 notice amongst the marshy vegetation of its favourite haunts. 

 If the bill of R. pectoralis may be said to resemble somewhat 

 that of Ocydromus, that of R. pictus rather shows an approach 

 to that of R. aquaticus, less produced. We have heard, on 

 very good authority, that a larger species of Kail remains 

 yet to be procured amongst the morasses of Westland. 



