526 DR. P. CHALMERS MITCHELL ON LONGEVITY AND 



Rallid/'E {cont.). ludiv. 



Gallinula, whole genus 20 



G. chloropus (Mooi-hen) 9 



6^. gfftZea^ft (Ameiican Moorhen) 2 



G. nesiotis (Island- Hen Gallinule) 3 



G. phoenicura (White-breasted ,, ) 4 



G. jyyrrhorhoa (Madagascar Moorlien) 2 



Fulica, whole genus 8 



F. ardesiaca (Slaty Coot) 2 



i^. aim (Coot) 4 



F. leucoptera (Strickland's Coot) 2 



Simi'mary of Fulicarice. 



I have discovered few published statements as to the longevity 

 of Rails and Crakes, but Mr. J. H. Gurney (loc. cit. p. 38) has 

 mentioned Porphyiios of 19 and 14 years. The highest figure 

 on my list is that for a Black-tailed Waterhen with a duration 

 of over 13 years; then come a Weka Rail of over 9 years; a 

 Corn Crake of 8 years, and then figures ranging downwards. 

 The average durations range rather closely round 2 years. The 

 intestinal tract of Rails and their allies is of moderate length 

 and capacity, the posterior portion with tlie caeca being rather 

 capacious. These birds in the period in question have been kept 

 either in open-air paddocks, or in an aviary with heated interior 

 and access to open air. There is not a very wide gap between 

 the figures of average and maximum durations ; there is no 

 appreciable correlation between size and longevity, and considering 

 the rather favourable conditions under which the birds were kept, 

 they appear to have a rather low viability in proportion to their 

 size. 



Capt. Flower's highest i-ecord is a Gallinule still alive after 

 6 years' duration. 



ALEOTORIDES. 



r»r„T-r>TT% m No. of Av. dur. Max. dur. 



Indiv. in months, m months. 



Otis tarda (Great Bustard) 16 30 128 



Eupodotis, whole genus 13 50" 7 106 



E. arabs (Arabian Bustard) 2 59 91 



if. aMs^rffl??!s (Australian ,, ) 4 73 106 



E.caffira (Kafiir „ ) 1 9 9 



E. denhaini{T)en\\?im'^ j? ) 3 60 98 



E.lcori (Burchell's „ ) 2 . 24 42 



E. ruficollis (Red-necked „ ) 1 10 10 



Houhara macqueeni (Macqueen's 8 9 25 



Bustard) 



JI. undulata (lloi\haT?i Bnst&rd) 7 3 9 



I have found no other figures published as to the longevity of 

 Bustards. The maximum duration on my list, of nearly 11 j^ears 



