344 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the description and the water-colour drawing, made by Markwick 

 from the freshly -killed specimen, leave no room for doubt. 



The first example of this species, which, according to Yarrell 

 (4th ed. vol. iii. p. 148), was made known in this country, was 

 shot near Ashburton, in Devonshire, in 1809, and was figured 

 and described in Montagu's Supplement to his ' Ornithological 

 Dictionary,' under the name of Little Gallinule. As it now appears 

 that Markwick obtained a specimen of this bird eighteen years 

 previously, it will be of interest to note his description of it, and 

 his remarks which follow (MS. p. 105) : — 



"The Small Spotted Water-hen,* Gallinula porzana. 



"Description. — The bird from which I drew the figure was shot by 

 the side of a mill-pond, and given to me on the *29th March, 1791. 



" Its length from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail was eight inches, 

 but to the end of the legs when stretched out backwards ten and a half; its 

 breadth from tip of the wing to tip of the wing when extended twelve inches 

 and a half. Its bill was rather more than three-quarters of an inch long, 

 slender, of a pale green colour, deepest at the base and tip, and also tinged 

 with scarlet at both those parts. The irides also were of a scarlet colour. 

 From the bill all round the eyes on each side was a pale ash-coloured 

 space. The top of the head, hinder part of the neck, back, scapulars, 

 upper covert-feathers of the wings, rump, and tail, were of an olive tawny- 

 brown colour, which was darkest on the head. With this colour were 

 intermixed some dark brown or blackish spots, together with some white 

 ones, both on the back and scapulars. The quill-feathers of the wings were 

 of a dark brown ; the chin and throat were white ; the foreside of the neck, 

 breast, and belly, of a light tawny or pale ochre colour ; the thighs and 

 vent, or under covert-feathers of the tail, were barred crossways with dusky 

 and white bars. The legs were naked above the kuees, and of a pale green 

 colour, as were the toes, which were long, slender, three forwards and one 

 backwards, and destitute of any fin or web. The claws were rather long 

 and sharp. 



" According to Mr. Latham's opinion this was a late bird of last year, 

 not come into full feather. 



" As soon as I had made the foregoing drawing and description I sent 

 the bird itself to the Rev. Dr. Goodenough, who wrote me word again that 

 he had no doubt of its being the Spotted Gallinule of Pennant, and that 

 he had seen Mr. Latham, who was of the same opinion, as I have stated 



* This name seems to have been borrowed from Pennant, 'British 

 Zoology,' 1708, vol. ii. p, 386. 



