26 Dr. T. H. Streets on a new Moorhen. 



rather short iu proportion to the size of the species when 

 compared with other species of the same group ; first primary 

 shorter than second, the second and third of equal length, 

 the rest graduated ; tail short ; tarsus ratlier long and stout, 

 rounded in front, and compressed posteriorly ; toes and claws 

 long and robust. 



The entire under surface of the body of one colour, which 

 is a dark slaty ; no marks of white on the abdomen ; the 

 head and neck all around much darker than the rest of the 

 body, nearly black, with a slight brownish tinge ; a few ot 

 the long feathers on the flanks with long spots of white on 

 the superior web of the feathers ; the edge of the wing at the 

 bend, and the outer margin of the outer web of the first 

 primary marked with a very constricted line of white ; the 

 under surface of the wings of the same colour as the under- 

 parts of the body ; the longer under tail-coverts pure white, 

 the rest black ; the entire upper parts, including the upper 

 surface of the wings and tail, olive-brown, the colour deepest 

 on the rump, and fading out on the neck and on the exterior 

 portions of the wings ; the tips of the tail-feathers, and the 

 shafts of the feathers, brownish black ; frontal plate and bill 

 bright crimson, the latter tipped with yellow ; tlie tibia naked 

 for about an inch, and surrounded by a bright crimson ring ; 

 a decided crimson blush on the front of the tarsus, the colour 

 deeper on the sides ; feet pea-green. 



Total length about 13'50 inches; wing 6'50; tail 3; bill 

 along the commissure 1*20, from the feathers on the side of 

 the head 1, along the culmen, including the frontal plate, 

 1'65 ; breadth of the frontal plate 0"50; length from the 

 margin of the feathers on the side of the bill 0*70; tarsus 2 ; 

 middle toe and claw 3. 



To sum up, the proportions of the bird and the quadrate 

 form of the frontal plate show that its strongest affinities are 

 with G. galeata rather than with any other member of the 

 group ; but the greater extent of the frontal plate, the shorter 

 wing, the absence of white on the abdomen and on the under 

 surface of the wing, as well as its reduction to a mere trace 

 on the margin of the same, the more robust and dift'erent 



