THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 133 



*. 



reports others near the Etang Saumatre. Bond secured two at the 

 fitang Miragoane February 4, 1928. These constitute the only rec- 

 ords at present known to us from the island. 



The sora rail inhabits the rushes and grasses of freshwater marshes, 

 where it seeks heavy cover but may be flushed by driving, when it 

 flies away with dangling feet to drop after a short distance into the 

 marsh. The bird may be expected in suitable localities from October 

 to March. 



Dr. C. W. Richmond has called our attention to the R alius oliva- 

 ceus of Vieillot, described in 1819 from " Saint-Domingue." Sharpe 42 

 has made this a synonym of his Porzana aTbicollis of South America, 

 which is erroneous as Vieillot's description is that of a young sora 

 rail in first fall plumage. It is therefore cited here in the synonymy 

 of Porzana Carolina. 



The back is olive-brown with dark centers to the feathers, and 

 faint streaks of white. The breast is gray or brownish gray, the 

 abdomen white, and the sides black barred with white. Adults have 

 the throat and face black, a marking lacking in the immature birds 

 in fall. The sora measures 205 to 225 mm. in length, and has a 

 narrow body, very short tail, and strong legs. 



PORZANA FLAVIVENTER HENDERSONI Bartsch 

 YELLOW-BELLIED RAIL, GALLERETA CHIQUITA 



Porzana flaviventris hendersoni Bartsch, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 

 30, July 27, 1917, p. 131 (Trou Caiman, Haiti). Smithsonian Misc. Colls., vol. 

 68, no. 12, 1918, fig. 42 (view of habitat). 



Porzana flaviventer hendersoni, Bond, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 

 80, 1928, p. 495 (Trou Caiman). 



Hapalocrew Ridgway, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 72, no. 4, Dec. 6, 1920, 

 p. 3 (type by orig. desig. Rallus flaviventris Boddaert). 



tRallus, Saix£, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1857, p. 236 (Dominican Republic). — 

 Bryant, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 11, May, 1867, p. 97 (Dominican 

 Republic). 



Resident in Haiti ; apparently rare. 



There are few specimens known from Hispaniola at present — two 

 from Trou Caiman, Haiti, a female secured by Bartsch on April 4, 

 1917, and a male taken by Abbott on March 11, 1918, and a female 

 from the freshwater marshes southwest of Fort Liberte shot by 

 Poole and Perrygo February 13, 1929. Bartsch writes that he saw 

 three others at Trou Caiman, two near Glore on the Etang Saumatre 

 April 4, and another at Trou des Roseaux April 13. Bond saw one 

 at Trou Caiman January 15, 1928. Salle mentions a small rail from 

 the Dominican Republic that is probably this species but took no 

 specimens. 



"Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. 23, 1894, p. 102. 



