"20 RiciiMoxi), Habits of Porzcnia ciiirrrt'crps. V " 



The immature P. cinerekeps may be described as follows : — 



( $ ini., U. S. National Museum, No. 128392, Escondido R., Nicaragua, 

 Sept. z, 1S92, C. W. R. ) Back, clove brown; rump, upper tail-covert.'< and 

 tail, black; cervix, bistre, indistinctly edged with clove brown; pileum, 

 .smoke gray, edged with clove brown ; cheeks, supra-auricular region, 

 lores and sides of neck, light gray, rather broadly edged with a darker 

 shade, giving to these parts a somewhat checkered appearance; throat, 

 white, with the feathers of the sides narrowly tipped with dusky gray; 

 breast dull grayish white, darker smoke gray on sides, the feathers with 

 blackish tips, and an occasional chestnut feather ; sides of neck similar, 

 with individual chestnut feathers here and there; wings, similar to those 

 of the adult but slightly darker; abdomen, white along median line, indis- 

 tinctly barred with dusky black ; sides, dull brownish black, narrowly 

 barred with dull white, these bars nearly obsolete on flanks; tibia, smoke 

 graj', with almost obsolete light bars ; under tail-coverts dusky black with 

 white bars. Wing, 2.90; culmen, .68; tail, 1.20; tarsus, 1.20 inches. Iris 

 dark brown. 



A 3'oung bird just leaving the downy stage (U. S- National Museum, 

 No. 127052, $ juv., Escondido R., Nicaragua, June 24, 1892, C W. R.) is 

 shiny greenish black, duller below, with a grayish tinge on the abdomen. 

 Feathers of the immature plumage are making their appearance in 

 patches in various places. In this stage the breast is grav, the feathers 

 broadly edged with dull black; abdomen similar, with a buffy wash ; tibia 

 drab gray ; no white bars apparent anywhere on the under parts. 



I am unable to say how long the birds remain in immature 

 plumage before donning that of the adult, but as no immature 

 birds were noted during the early spring months, it seems reason- 

 able to suppose that they make the change sometime during the 

 winter. 



Moulting appears to take place slowly. Two specimens taken 

 September 8 possess half-grown new primaries, and pin feathers 

 occur on various parts of the body. Other birds in moulting 

 condition were taken May 20, July 18, etc., showing it to extend 

 over several months. It is probable that, in common with most 

 other species of this region, the moult takes place during the 

 rainy season, — from May to December. 



As to the status of Porzana leucogastra Ridgw., and P. alfari 

 Ridgw., I think there can be no doubt that the former should be 

 placed under P. cinerekeps. As to P. alfari, it is very difficult to 

 attempt a satisfactory disposition of the single specimen. Its 

 brown head would indicate a position under P. albigularis, but 



