1920.] Cape San Antonio, Buenos Ayres. 39 



371. Rallus rhytirhynchus Vieill. Black Hail. 



Adult male and female. Iris vermilion or blood-red. Bill 

 bright green, varying to strong dark green^ with bright 

 scarlet spot at base, and pale or bright blue forehead. Feet 

 ranging from pink or salmon-colour to red and dark crimson- 

 brown. These colours are all paler or duller in young 

 birds. 



This species is resident and common^ more so in some 

 years than others. In 1899 I collected half-a-score speci- 

 mens between 27 February and 30 October, showing that 

 they are seldom migratory in our district. 



Though generally shy and difficult to flush, the Black Rail 

 can, as Claude Grant says, " be easily procured by waiting^' 

 (he might have added " at dusk, by the edge o£ the swamps ''). 

 When the observer is quiescent, or the birds have been 

 accustomed to his watching them, they become remark- 

 ably tame. This species walks in a quick jerky manner, with 

 head and tail very erect, stopping at intervals and keenly 

 alert ; when alarmed or surprised on these occasions, it 

 generally rises, and after a short flight drops into the deeper 

 part of the canada. Hudson has fully described its vocal 

 accomplishments. In the flesh it is a beautiful bird (I do 

 not allude to its ungainly flight) ; but when the brilliant 

 hues of the eyes, bill, and legs have departed, and the life- 

 gloss gone out of the deep slate plumage, the cabinet- 

 specimen presents a poor and dull appearance. 



A drought is more suitable to the Black Rail than a 

 superfluity of water. I noted it as " very abundant in the 

 summer of 1903-4, though little water in swamps.^' The 

 converse is borne out by the following memoranda from 

 my diary : — "37 October, 1913. On railway journey from 

 Buenos Ayres, when between Guido and Segurola stations, 

 three Black Rails seen at close intervals : flew out of the 

 densely -weeded railway embankment as the train passed, 

 the country being flooded to the horizon on each side. — 

 20 March, 1914. The preceding seem to have been the only 

 individuals observed during the six months' visit. Great 

 flood." On 30 August, 1915 (having been in England in 



