Vol. XI T 



RicHiMOXD, Habits of Porzaiia cinereicefs. 



29 



that the wings are wholly unspotted, but it should be stated that 

 one of the Panama skins shows black and white bars on the 

 greater and lesser wing-coverts, and that a second has some 

 traces of the same character. These markings would, however, 

 probably disappear in the adult bird." In the birds examined 

 by me it appears that immaturity cannot account for the presence 

 of the wing bars, and two immature males before me are without 

 any trace of them. It is probable, therefore, that age has nothing 

 to do with this marking. 



The under tail-coverts of P. cinereiceps are sometimes slightly 

 tinged with rufous, thus showing its close relation to P. melanophaia 

 of Brazil. One of the National Museum skins of P. allngularis 

 also shows a trace of rufous on the under tail-coverts. 



There is a slight difference in size between the sexes of Porzana 

 cinereiceps which may be seen from the following table : — 



Males . 



Longest culmen, 

 Shortest cuhnen, 

 Average culmen, 



.75; longest wing, 2.95; longest tarsus, 1.26. 

 .65 ; shortest wing, 2.75 ; shortest tarsus, no. 

 .70; average wing, 2.85; average tarsus, 1.17. 



Longest culmen, .70; longest wing, 2.92; longest tarsus, 1.16. 

 Shortest culmen, .63; shortest wing, 2.67; shortest tarsus, 1.02. 

 Average culmen, .66; average wing, 2.83 ; average tarsus, 1.12. 



