This Coot is very readily distinguisliable from other known species by the peculiar shape of 

 the frontal shield, which is narrow and elongated, and instead of being rounded above, 



terminates in an acute angle, as shewn by our figure. In the living bird this is described as of 

 a dark blood-red, and it appears to retain nearly the same colour in the dried skin. A second 

 character which absolutely distinguishes this Coot fi-om all othei-s of the white-rumped section 

 is the absence of the white mai'gin of the first primary. There are, however, a few whitish 

 edgings to the small feathers on the bend of the wing. 



This Coot appears to have nearly the same distribution as Fulica arraillata. Although it has 

 not yet been recorded fi-om the Argentine Republic, it must certainly occur there, if the locality 

 of Uruguay given by Hartlaub on the authority of Sellow is correct. In Chili it is one of the 

 three species of which Herr Landbeck has given us such an excellent account. The late Mr. 

 Bridges likewise obtained specimens of it in Chili, from one of which, now in the Derby 

 Museum at Liverpool, our figm-e has been prepared. King's Fidica chloropoides^ if we are 

 right in referring it to this species, was obtained in Patagonia. There is a specimen of this 

 bird in the British Museum said to have been obtained during the surveying-voyage of the 

 " Erebus and Terror" in the Falkland Islands, and in 1859 Capt. Abbott shot a single example 

 believed to have been of this species in the same country. 



Our figure of this bird, as in the case of the other Coots in this Part, is one half of the size of 

 nature. 



AuausT, 18G8. 



[118] J 



