156 RALLIED. 



377. PORPHYRIOPS MELANOPS (VieilU 

 (LITTLE WATERMEN.) 



Ortygometra melanops, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 505 (R. Uruguay). Por- 

 phyriops melanops, Scl. etSalv. Nomencl. p. 140 ; iid. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 461, 

 et 1869, p. 634 (Buenos Ayres) ; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 195 (Buenos Ayres). 



Description. Above olivaceous ; head darker ; wings brown ; wing-coverts 

 tinged with chestnut ; outer secondaries more or less distinctly margined with 

 white : beneath cinereous ; middle of belly and crissum white ; flanks olivaceous, 

 spotted with white ; bill dark olive, with the tip yellowish ; feet hazel : whole 

 length 9*0 inches, wing 5-0, tail 2O. Female similar. 



Hab. South America. 



In the southern part of the Argentine country the Little Waterhen 

 is a summer visitant, and very abundant in the marshes along the Plata. 

 In language and habits it is like the Coots : it is not often seen on land, 

 and feeds principally as it swims about in a jerky manner among the 

 floating weeds. It appears in October, migrating exclusively, I think, 

 by night ; and after the autumnal departure an individual is rarely seen. 

 By day they are shy and retiring, but scatter abroad in the evening, 

 frequently uttering their hollow mysterious cry, called the witch laugh 

 by superstitious people, and resembling a sudden burst of hysterical 

 laughter, the notes beginning loud and long, becoming brief and hurried 

 as they die away. 



378. GALLINULA GALEATA (Licht.). 

 (AMERICAN WATERHEN.) 



Gallinula galeata, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 505 (Rio Parana) ; Scl. et 

 Salv. Nomencl. p. 140 ; iid. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 4C2 ; WJiite, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 627 

 (Buenos Ayres) ; Barrows, Auk, 1884, p. 277 (Entrerios). 



Description. Above grey ; middle of back and wings olivaceous brown : 

 beneath grey, whitish on the middle of the belly ; bend of the wing, stripes on 

 the flanks, and sides of crissum pure white ; middle of crissum and tail black; 

 frontal shield and bill red, the latter tipped with yellow ; feet olive varied with 

 yellow ; naked portion of shank scarlet : whole length 15'0 inches, wing 7*5, 

 tail 5'5. Female similar. 



Hab. North and South America. 



The American representative of our familiar Waterhen extends into 

 the western provinces of the Argentine Republic. Mr. Barrows tells 

 us it is abundant on the Lower Uruguay, and Dr. Burmeister met with 

 it on the Parana. 



