

obviously a Pennula, and its colouring fairly corresponds with Latham's description of 

 it, which is as follows : — 



" Size small. Bill dusky ash-colour ; general colour of the plumage pale ferruginous ; 

 the feathers on the upper parts darkest in the middle ; tail short, hid by the upper 

 coverts ; legs dusky flesh-colour. 



" Inhabits Sandwich Isles. Was also found on the island of Tanna ; but the 

 plumage is darker on the upper parts ; and the bill and legs yellowish. — Sir Joseph 

 Banks." 



Latham was no doubt in error when he imagined that a bird like this could also 

 inhabit Tanna, which is one of the New Hebrides, and, indeed, Mr. Wiglesworth 

 (Aves Polyn. p. 61) identifies the latter with Ortygometra cinerea (Vieillot). 



Where Eeichenbach saw the specimens which he professes to figure it is impossible 

 to say. They do not now exist in the Dresden Museum, as we are obligingly informed 

 by Professor A. B. Meyer. Indeed, the whole ornithological collection there was burnt 

 in the disturbances of 1849. 



PENNULA WILSONI. 



Mr. Prohawk having executed a plate from Schlegel's wrongly-called " Crex 

 sandwichensis" I here present an impression of it to my readers, together with extracts 

 from Dr. Pinsch's remarks upon the species, which they will perceive has no claim as 

 yet to be included in the 'Aves Hawaiienses,' nor can the Leyden specimen possibly be 

 the type of Latham's species as asserted by Dr. Sharpe. 



" On the so-called ' Sandwich Bail ' in the Leyden Museum. By Dr. O. Finsch. 

 " Crex sandwichensis, Schleg. (nee Rallus sandwichensis, Gml.), Mus. P.-B., Ralli, 1865, p. 25. 

 " Rallus sandwichensis, Hartl. (nee Grml.), Abhandl. naturw. Vereins in Bremen, xii. (1892), p. 397 



(syn. part.) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1893, p. 443. 

 " Pennula sandwichensis, Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxiii. (1894), p. 336 (syn. part.). 



" Pennula wilsoni, Finsch. 



" Schlegel's type in the Leyden Museum : 



" Upper parts dark ruddy brown with blackish centres to the feathers of the back 

 and wings, producing on these parts well marked blackish longitudinal stripes; head 

 and neck somewhat lighter and uniform ruddy brown, like the sides of head and neck ; 

 underparts uniform rusty brown, shading into vinous red, a little darker on the flanks ; 

 middle of chin somewhat lighter ; anal region and lower tail-coverts dark vinous-red, 

 forming a well marked darker patch ; primaries blackish, very narrowly margined with 

 brown on the outer web ; broad and lax upper tail-coverts with very narrow light 

 rusty-brown apical margins, showing as lighter undulations. — Bill and feet light homy- 

 brown (as far as can be judged greenish in life). — Sex and Habitat unknown. 



