174 PENNSYI,VANIAN PiriT. 



mandibles yellowish brown, darker at tlie tip. The 

 iris is said by Wilson to be a dark hazel. 



When placed beside A. ^jrrt^6'«s/s, there is a general 

 resemblance between the two birds in size, colour, and 

 markings. It differs, however, from A. pratensis in the 

 following points: — The wing is half an inch longer, the 

 hind claw shorter and more curved, the beak is stouter 

 and broader at the base. Plumage of back is more 

 uniform olive grey, and is less mottled, and on the 

 lower part of the body there is a rufous tint more or 

 less pronounced. 



The above description is taken from a female speci- 

 men apparently in autumn plumage, and which is figured. 

 It was kindly 'sent me by Mr. Sclater, the Secretary to 

 the Zoological Society, to whom I have much pleasure 

 in tendering my thanks for the assistance which he 

 willingly affords me in the prosecution of this work. 

 It is marked "Petaluma Car. Authy. Baird e. mus P. 

 L. Sclater, No. 5415." 



It has been figured as A. aquaticus by Audubon, pi. 

 10, Orn. Biog., i, p. 49; Wilson, p. 89, pi. 4:3, fig. 4, 

 (young.) The colours are much too bright in this figure 

 —Edward's Gleanings, ii, 185, pi. 297. 



I am sorry I have not an c^^ to figure. Brehm's 

 very clear description renders it, however, unnecessary 

 for me to copy any of the three figures he has given 

 in plate 35, fig. 6, They are there represented as rather 

 larger than those of A. pratensis, but thickly spotted 

 with the same coloured dots on a similar ground. 



