WEETWEET—WEKA 1031 
many more than can here be named. Some of these genera are 
common to Africa and India, and some are imputed also to Australia, 
but the last seems to have several genera peculiar to itself, the true 
affinity of which requires further investigation.! 
WEETWEET, a name in North America for the Spotted SAND- 
PIPER, Actitis macularia. 
WEKA, the Maori name, accepted in English, of some flightless 
New-Zealand RaI1s, the first known of which was found, in March 
1773, by Cook’s people on his second voyage (i. p. 97) to abound 
on the shore of Dusky Bay, and was called by them ‘ Wood-hen.” 
In 1785 Latham (Gen. Synops. iti. p. 229) published a description 
of it as the Troglodyte Rail, and it was in 1788 scientifically 
designated Rallus troglodytes by Gmelin.” In 1830 Wagler (Nat. Syst. 
Amphib. u. s.w. p. 98) made it the type of a separate genus Ocydromus. 
Wexka. (From Buller.) 
Sir W. Buller (B. WV. Zeal. ed. 1, p. 174; ed. 2, ii. p. 113) declares 
there can be no doubt as to this species being that which, nearly 
60 years after, Du Bus (£sy. Orn. pl. 11) figured and described as 
Gallirallus fuscus,? a specific term that has generally been preferred, 
in the belief that the /. troglodytes was identical with the f. australis, 
figured and described in 1784 by Sparrman * (Aus. Carlson. i. no. 14); 
but the two birds appear to be distinct, both in coloration (though 
this in each is variable) and habit—the former frequenting the sea- 
1 A Monograph of the Weaver-Birds by Mr. Edward Bartlett was begun in 1888, 
but unfortunately remains unfinished. 
2 Aname given byJ. R. Forster, from whom Latham states that his information 
was derived. To the shame of English authorities Forster’s manuscript was not 
published until 1840. 
3 In the meanwhile it had received another name,. G. brachypterus, from 
Lafresnaye (Rev. Zool. 1841, p. 243 ; Mag. de. Zool. 1842, pl. 24) the type of which 
has been examined by Dr. Sharpe (Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxiii. p. 67). 
4 What Sparrman’s bird was may yet be open to doubt. His localities are 
not trustworthy, and his specimen differed, by its yellow legs, from all other 
known Ocydromi. 
