THE WOOD HENS 181 



The Mangare Rail. — Matirakahu. 

 Cabalus modestus. 



Dusky brown above, greyish below, the flanks with tawny bars. 

 Quills brown, faintly barred with tawny. Eye light brown. Young 

 uniform brownish black. Length of the wing, 3.15 in.; of the tarsus, 

 1 in. Mangare, Chatham Island Group. 



Genus Nesolimnas. 



Bill moderately strong, slightly curved downwards. Quills 

 firm, wings short. Feet moderate. Chatham Islands and Lord 

 Howe Island. 



Dieffenbach's Rail. — Moeriki. 



Nesolimnas dieffenhachii. 



Back, banded with buff and black. Breast, black barred with white, 

 below which is a band of buff banded with black; under tail coverts 

 deep ochre banded with black. Length of the wing, 4.8 in.; of the 

 tarsus, 1.4.5 in. Chatham Islands. (Keported to be extinct). 



Genus Ocydromus. 



Bill strong, slightly curved. Wings very short, the quills soft,, 

 the secondaries and coverts lengthened. Tail soft. Tarsi strong, 

 shorter than the middle toe. "Wings armed with a spur. New 

 Zealand only. 



The Wood Hens. 



Our wood hens, the wekas, have been branded as rogues and 

 vagabonds. There is a good deal of evidence in support of the 

 accusation, as the weka often devotes its high standard of intelli- 

 gence to a very bad purpose. At the same time it has fine traits. 

 Like common mortals, it is apt to fall from grace, but it is not 

 utterly bad. No doubt it is often sorely tempted, and, in sitting 

 in .judgment upon it, we should make allowances and overlook its 



