of the Straits of Magellan. 95 



of the tail is 10 inches; of the bill, 1 !f ; of the wing from the carpal 

 joint to the end of the second quill feather, 4|; of the tail, 3; of the 

 tarsus. If. 



45. This small Rail also appears to me to answer no previous descrip- 

 tion. It partially agrees with M. Vieillot's description of Rallus oliva- 

 ceus ; but the lower parts are plumbeous instead of "gris fauve," as in 

 M. Vieillot's bird. 



Rallus Antarcticus. 



Rail, supra brunneus, nicjro strigatus ; subtus plumbeus, femorum 

 tectricibus crissoque atris, albo-fasciatis. 



The throat is whitish. The upper wing coverts are reddish brown, 

 sparingly marked with black and white near the vdng joint. The bill is 

 bro^vn ; the legs yellowish. The length of the body is 7^ inches ; of the 

 bill, I5 ; of the wing from the carpal joint to the end of the second 

 quill feather, 3f ; of the tail. If ; of the tarsus, -ff. 



46. A Coot. — This bird might at first sight pass for a GalUnule, 

 and, from its general markings, for our British species Gall, ehloropus. 

 The lobated toes however mark it as belonging to the genus Fulica, 

 although the lobes are not as deep as in the typical Coots. The species 

 seems to form an intermediate pass^e between the two groups ; more 

 particularly as the narrowness of the front brings the bird nearer the 

 Gallinules than the Coots. I find no description of any species of this 

 latter genus which accords vdth my bird. Were the toes edged with a 

 narrow membrane, instead of being festooned, I should be inclined to con- 

 sider it a variety of our Gall, ehloropus. 



FULICA CHLOROPOIDES. 



Ful. capite, collo superiore, cauddque atris; corpore reliquo atro-fuscOy 

 crisso alba. 



The lower feathers of the abdomen of this bird are shghtly tipped with 

 white. The bill is red from the base, yellow at the tip. The legs are 

 fuscous inclining to red. The length of the body is 15 inches ; of the 

 bill, 11 ; of the wing from the carpal joint to the extremity of the second 

 quill feather, GJ ; of the tail, 3 ; of the tarsi, 2. 



47. A second species of the same genus, in which, although the toes 



