Order GRALLvE.] [Fam. RALLID^E. 



OCYDKOMUS FUSCUS. 



(BLACK WOODHEN.) 



Gallirallus fuscus, Du Bus, Esquisses Orn. pi. 11 (1847). 

 Ocydromus nigricans, Buller, Trans. N.-Z. Inst. i. p. Ill (1868). 

 Ocydromus fuscus, Finsch, J. f. O. 1870, p. 354. 



Native name. — Weka-pango. 



Ad. brunnescenti-niger, plumis plus minusve rufescenti-brunneo marginatis : gutture et facie laterali cinereis 

 vix brunneo tinctis : abac-mine medio sordide cinereo : remigibus brunnescenti-nigris, intus rufescenti- 

 brunneo maculatis : cauda nigra : subcaudalibus ferrugineo transfasciatis : rostro nigricanti-brunneo : 

 pedibus pallide brunneis : iride saturate brunnea. 



Adult. General plumage brownish black, each feather margined more or less with rufous brown ; throat 

 and sides of the head cinereous, slightly tinged with brown ; middle portion of abdomen dull cinereous ; 

 quills brownish black, obscurely banded or spotted on the inner webs with rufous brown; the soft 

 feathers lining the wings faintly margined with rufcms ; tail-feathers black ; under tail-coverts trans- 

 versely barred with rufous. Irides bright reddish brown ; bill dark brown, tinged with red towards the 

 base ; legs bright reddish brown, darker on the hind part of tarsi and on the under surface of toes. 

 Total length 22 inches ; extent of wings 23 - 25 ; wing, from flexure, 7 - 25 ; tail 525 ; bill, along the 

 ridge 2, along the edge of lower mandible 2*4 ; tarsus 2-25 ; middle toe and claw 3 ; hind toe and 

 claw 1. 



Obs. Examples vary in the amount of rufous colouring that pervades the plumage, some being almost 

 wholly black and without any markings on the quills. A specimen in Dr. Hector's collection of birds 

 in the Otago Museum has no bars on the under tail-coverts ; and another, in my own collection, has 

 the fore neck and breast largely suffused with fulvous brown. The measurements given above were 

 taken from a freshly killed male bird. Another male measured 21 inches in length and 22'5 in extent. 



This species of Woodhen, which is quite distinct from the two preceding ones, although for a 

 long time confounded with them, inhabits the sea-shore and feeds among the kelp and seaweed. 

 Hitherto it has only been found on the south-west coast of the South Island, where it is said to 

 be extremely abundant. There can be no doubt that this is the bird referred to by Captain Cook 

 in the following passage: — "Although they are numerous enough here [Dusky Bay], they are so 



scarce in other parts that I never saw but one They inhabit the skirts of the woods, and 



feed on the sea-beach, and were so tame or foolish as to stand and stare at us till we knocked 

 them down with a stick They are a sort of Bail, about the size and a good deal like a 



