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Plate LXXXII. 



Mallus antarcticus 



Mallus rufopennis 

 Mallus uliginosus 



RALLUS ANTARCTICUS. 



(KUFOTTS-WINGED RAIL). 



King, Zool. Journ. iv. p. 95 (1328). 



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



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



Philippi, "Wiegm. Arch. 1858, I. p. 83. 



Supra brunneus nigro flammulatus, alis extiis dilute rufis : alarum remigibus nigricantibus, unicoloribus : subtus 

 plumbeus : lateribus et subalaribus nigris albo transfasciatis : long, tota 8"0, alse 37, cauda? 1*5, rostri a rictu 1*3, 

 tarsi 1*2. 



Hob. in Chilia et Patagonia. 



This Eail 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 Eail 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 Eail is that of Dr. E. 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 Rallus 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 

 formed the subject of our figure and description. 



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

 the late Mr. Bridges. Mr. G. E. Gray has conferred upon it the name Rallus rufopennis, but 

 has never published any description of it. 



This Eail is of the same form as the well-known Rallus virginianus, of North America ; 

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

 American species of this group, which also contains the European Rallus aquaticus } is figured 

 in the next following plate. 



Apeil, 1839. 



[163] 



