OCCASIONAL NOTES. 253 
detected signs of captivity, or some private markings about the bird, the 
presumption should be that it was “a bond fide traveller.” And private 
markings have sometimes upset the reputation of specimens of birds which 
are generally admitted as British visitants without any question. We have 
known a Welsh Rough-legged Buzzard proved in this manner to be only 
an importation and subsequent escape. When one meets a Parrakeet, a 
Whidah-bird, or a Canary in its yellow plumage at large, it is justly con- 
cluded, from sufficient grounds, that these must in some manner have 
escaped from their cages; but with birds which are not commonly kept in 
confinement and which might without any very great difficulty wander to 
these shores, in the lack of proof to the contrary, one would be disposed 
to pronounce them wild birds and not escapes. Purple Gallinules have 
occurred several times in this country, as your editorial note informs us. 
Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., has been good enough to acquaint me that the 
Norfolk example is the Green-backed Gallinule, Porphyrio smaragdonotus, a 
North-African species, and that the Irish specimen, which, through the 
kindness of Mr. J. Marshall has been added to my collection, is the 
Martinique Gallinule, which differs from the Purple Gallinule of South 
Europe in its somewhat smaller size. If all these Purple Gallinules are 
escapes, is it probable that none of the owners would have advertised the 
loss from their aviaries of so valuable a bird, and thus have furnished proof 
of the fact? I shall not hesitate to admit the Serin Finch, the Calandra 
Lark, and the Purple Gallinule in my ‘ Birds of the 8.W. Peninsula,’ any 
more than I should feel disposed to close its pages against the Hawk Owl, 
White’s Thrush, or the Yellow-billed Cuckoo— Murray A. MatrHew (The 
Vicarage, Bishop’s Lydeard). 
Notre oN THE PoRPHYRIO KILLED aT TATTERFORD, Norroix.—Having 
had an opportunity of examining the Porphyrio killed at Tatterford in 
October last, and mentioned at page 228 of the current volume of the 
‘Zoologist, I think it well to mention that it is not a specimen of 
P. hyacinthinus, but of the nearly allied P. smaragdonotus ; and I think it 
would be desirable that the other British-killed Porphyrios which have 
been referred to P. hyacinthinus should be carefully examined, with the 
view of ascertaining whether any of these examples are also in reality 
referable to P. smaragdonotus. The latter species is readily distinguishable 
from P. hyacinthinus by the greener tints of its plumage, especially on the 
back: it is a South African species, but it also inhabits Lower Egypt, as 
recorded by my son in his ‘ Rambles of.a Naturalist,’ p. 186. I may 
add that the Tatterford bird shows no signs whatever of having been kept 
in confinement.—J. H. Gurney (Northepps Hall, Norwich). 
Roostinc Hazits oF THE Startinc.—During the past winter count- 
less numbers of Starlings have been roosting every night in a wood on the 
left bank of the Liffey, about half-way between Lucan and Dublin, On 
