THE MARSH RAIL 189 



The South Island Wood Hen.— Weka. 



Ocydromus austral is. 



Eusty red, streaked with brownish black. Below grey, the breast 

 tinged with ferruginous. Quills and middle tail feathers barred with 

 rufous. Eye reddish brown. Length of the wing, 6.7 in.; of the tarsus, 

 2 in. South Island and Stewart Island. The egg is figured in the 

 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for 1852, plate 

 Aves XLVI. It is pinkish "white, with reddish and violet spots 

 sparingly distributed over the surface; length, 2.85 in. 



The Hill Wood Hen. 



Ocydromus Jiectori. 



Olivaceous, or fawn, streaked with brownish black. Below grey, 

 tinged with olivaceous or fawn on the breast. Middle tail feathers 

 generally with a black streak down the shaft, and rufous margins. Eye 

 reddish brown. Length of the wing, 7.75 in.; of the tarsus, 4.75 in. 

 The female is smaller than the male. Egg — Pinkish white, with red 

 and purple markings sparingly distributed over the surface; length, 

 2.86 in. South Island, in sub-alpine districts. 



Genus Porzana. 



Bill shorter than the middle toe with claw. Wings short, the 

 second and third qnills the longest ; the secondaries considerably 

 shorter than the primaries. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe 

 with claw. Found over nearly the whole world. 



The Marsh Rail. — Koitareke or Koreke. 

 Porzana afflnis. 



Above, brown, spotted with white and varied with black. Abdomen 

 barred with black and white. Eye dull red. Length of the wing, 3.3 in.; 

 of the tarsus, 1 in. Egg — Olive brown, polished; length, 0.85 in. Both 

 Islands and the Chatham Islands. 



These solitary little birds live in flax swamps and hide them- 

 selves with much dexterity. They might live a long time in a 

 place without their presence being suspected, were it not that 

 unlucky individuals are occasionally brought in by a prowling 

 cat. The bird is closely allied to the spotted water crake of 

 Australia. 



