Plate LXXXII. 



RALLUS ANTARCTICU8. 



(EUFOUS-WmGED KAIL). 



Callus antarcticus . . . King, Zool. Journ. IT. p. 95 (1828). 



... Scl. & SalT. P.Z.S. 1868, p. 445. 



Jtallus rufopennis . . . G. E. Gray, List of Specimens of Birds in Brit. Mus. iii. p. 116 (1844). 



Itallus uliginosus . . . Philippi, Wiegm. Arcli. 1858, 1, p. 83. 



Supra brunneus nigro flammulatus, alis extua dilute rufis : alarum remigibus nigricantibus, unicoloribus : Bubtus 

 plumbeua : hypocbondriis et subalaribus nigris albo transfasciatis : long, totjl 8'0, alae 3'7, cauds 1"5, rostri a rictu 1'3, 

 tarsi 12. 



Hab. in Chilia et Patagonia. 



This Rail was first characterized by Captain King in 1828, in a letter on the animals met 

 with during his survey of the Straits of Magellan of which extracts were published in the 

 third and fourth volumes of the Zoological Journal. The description there given, though 

 brief, is sufficient, we think, to justify us in adopting the name antarcticus for this species, 

 regard being had to the fact that there is no other known Rail likely to be met with in Antarctic 

 America to which Capt. King's description is at all applicable. But Capt. King gives us no 

 information whatever as to the habits of this bird, nor does he mention the exact locality in 

 which he obtained it. 



A more satisfactory account of this Rail is that of Dr. R. A. Philippi — a well-known 

 German Zoologist, who is now Director of the National Museum of Santiago, Chili. Dr. Philippi 

 describes this bird very accurately under the name of Itallus uliginosus^ and tells us that a 

 single specimen of it was procured by Dr. Eulogio Salinas on his estate in the plain of Santiago, 

 and presented to the Museum of that city. Other specimens appear to have subsequently 

 occurred, for a collection of Humming-birds sent by Dr. Philippi to Mr. Gould a short time 

 since contained an example of it which passed into the collection of Salvin and Godman and has 

 farmed the subject of our figure and description. '' ;' ' 



The British Museum contains a single stuffed specimen of this Rail, procured in Chili by 

 the late Mr. Bridges. Mr. G. R. Gray has conferred upon it the name Rallus rufopennis^ but 

 has never published any description of it; 



This Rail is of the same form as the well-known Ballus virginianus^ of North America; 

 from which, however^ it is readily distinguishable by its plumbeous colour below, A third 

 American species of this group, wliich also contains the European Ballus aquaticus, is figured 

 in the next following plate. 



Apeii, 1869. '''"'" . 



[ 163 ] 



