Vol. xxix.] 22 



as that of P. cinerea, but much deeper at the base. The 

 feet are very small, the average measurements of twelve 

 specimens being as follows : tarsus 3.2 mm. ; middle toe 

 33. In P. cinerea the average measurements are : tarsus 

 36 mm. ; middle toe 39. 



Hab. Iwotima or Sulphur Island, Bonin Group. 



Mr. Alan Owston, of Yokohama, had been kind enough to 

 place at Mr. Ingram's disposal a fine series of twelve 

 specimens^ all of which were procured on the Island of 

 Iwotima. 



When examining the large series of P. cinerea in the 

 British Museum Collection, Mr. Ingram had been struck by 

 the constant difterences observable in several other geo- 

 graphical races, that from the Philippine Islands being 

 apparently undescribed. For this form he proposed to 

 utilize G. R. Gray's nonien nudum, Ortygometra ocularis 

 [cf. List B. Brit. Mus. part iii. Grallje, p. 119 (1814)]. 



PORZANA CINEREA OCULARIS, Subsp. U. 



Similar to P. cinerea, but generally darker, especially on 

 the head. The grey tints on the head and the olivaceous 

 tints on the back purer and more strongly contrasted with 

 one another, and the neck and breast conspicuously greyer, 

 these latter parts being strongly washed with slate-grey. 



The measurements are the same as in P. cinerea. 



Hab. Philippine Archipelago. 



Mr. Ingram further pointed out that examples from the 

 Fijian and Samoan groups (and possibly from some of the 

 neighbouring Pacific islands) appeared to be generally more 

 ruddy, with very little grey wash on tlie head and scarcely 

 any on the neck. For this seemingly distinct race, Forster's 

 name Rallus tannensis should be used [cf. Forster, Descr. An. 

 p. 275 (1844)]. The Australian representative of this Rail, 

 to which the New Guinea race was apparently very closely 

 allied, was another good subs})ecics, being a very dark bird 

 with an almost black head. This form had been called 

 Porzana leucophrys by Gould (P. Z. S. 1847 : see also 

 Mathews, B, of Austr. vol. i.). 



