418 Zoological Society : — 



other generally recognized species of the restricted genus Gallinula 

 — as, for instance, Gallinula galeata of the New World and G. tene- 

 brosa of Australia. The peculiarities, however, of the Mauritian 

 bird seem to be constant ; and I may perhaps be excused for stating 

 my belief that in cases where we find an animal from any certain 

 locality always presenting an appearance easily to be recognized, we 

 are justified in distinguishing it by a specific name. 



In addition to the characters of the Mauritian Water-hen, which 

 I shall presently describe, I may add that my brother informs me 

 that its cry is altogether different from that of our own bird, with 

 which he is well acquainted ; and I must remark that this is also the 

 case with respect to the American species (6r. galeata). 



Mr. Gould has kindly enabled me to exhibit an example of this 

 new species, which he received through Mr. Barclay from the Mauri- 

 tius many years ago ; and, as may be seen, it exactly resembles my 

 brother's specimen in the peculiarities I have to point out. At the 

 same time I am indebted to Mr. J. H. Gurney for the opportunity 

 of showing that these pecuharities are not shared by the Water-hen 

 of South Africa, as the bird on the table, from the collection recently 

 sent to that gentleman by Mr. C. J. Andersson from Damara Land, 

 does not differ, that I can see, from our own G. chloropus. 



In an admirable series of articles on the ornithology of Madagascar, 

 lately contributed by Dr. Hartlaub to the * Journal fur Ornithologie,' 

 mention is made of a Gallinula in the collection at Vienna, killed 

 by Bojer on the east coast of that island, which is stated to have 

 " ocherfarbenen Unterschwanzdecken." Hence I should be dis- 

 posed to presume that the Mauritian form is found in the neighbour- 

 ing and larger island, and perhaps indeed is common and peculiar to 

 the whole Mascarene group, as Dr. Hartlaub, quoting the authority 

 of M. Victor Sganzin (whose paper, by the by, in the ' Memoires de 

 la Socidte d'Histoire Naturelle de Strasbourg,' I have not been able 

 to examine), states that it is common in Bourbon (Re'union) as well 

 as in Mauritius. 



I now proceed to designate the new species in proper form : — 



Gallinxjla pyrrhorrhoa, sp. nov. 



Fulica cJdoropus, Julien Desjardins, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 45. 

 " Gallinula chloropus,\ . Sganzin, Mem. Soc. d'Hist. Nat. Strasb. 

 1831-2, p. 45;" G. Hartlaub, Journ. fiir Orn. 1860, p. 173. 

 Gallinule or Moor-hen, auct. anon, in ' Mauritius Register,' 1859, 



Dt IxXXV. 



" Gallinula (?), 'Ibis,' 1861, p. 116. 



Statura et aspectu Gallinulse chloropodi admodum similis, sed 

 membrana frontali majore, caudce tectricibus inferioribus cer- 

 vinis, pedibusque fiavis. 



Hab. In insulis Mascarenis, Mauritiana, Borbonica (teste Sganzin) 

 atque Madagascariensi (teste Bojer) ; differt voce a G. chloropode. 

 Mus. Vindobon., Joh. Gould necnon A. et E. Newton. 



