AVIFAUNA OF LAYS AN, ETC. 



239 



THE GENUS PENNULA. 



This genus has been somewhat vaguely described by Judge Dole as follows :— 

 « Pennula millei K Moho. Not previously described. 6J in. long. Bill J in. long, black, 

 straight, sides compressed, curved at tip. Tail not visible. Wings rudimentary, 

 bidden in the long, loose, hairy feathers. Plumage dark, dull brown, ashy under the 

 throat; feathers loose, hairy, long. Lower part of tibia naked. Legs long, set far 

 back. Toes : 3 front, 1 back. Habitat, uplands of Hawaii. Nearly extinct. Specimen 

 in Mills's Coll." 



All ornithologists have recognized the genus Pennula. Dr. Sharpe, in vol. xxiii. of the 

 < Catalogue of Birds, 5 has placed the genus between Porzana and Aphanolimnas. It is 

 thus separated from Porzanula by the genera Corethrura, Rallicula, Thyrorhma, Ortt/gops, 

 and PoUoUmnas. I believe, however, that the genera Porzanula and Pennula should 

 be placed close together in a natural arrangement of the Pallida. These two genera 

 are probably closely allied. Pennula, however, has the wings still softer, the rectrices 

 about 13 mm. long, with very stiff shafts, concealed by the soft coverts, but easily felt. 

 Bill much like that of PolioVt m huh and Porzanula. Tibia bare for about 7 mm. 

 Metatarsus covered in front with nearly a dozen transverse very distinct scales, and 

 very distinctly reticulated behind. 



Two species can be recognized, both being extinct : — 



Upperside uniform Pennula millsi. 



Upperside distinctly spotted Pennula sandwichensis. 



The history of the Hawaiian Rails is rather confused, and some recent authors have even 

 added to the confusion. The first notes about a Rail on those islands are doubtless those of 

 Latham, and of King in the ' Voyage to the Pacific Ocean,' iii. p. 119, where, in fact, a scientific 

 name is added to the note on such a bird. Unfortunately, however, the description of King 

 is quite insufficient. All King says is : "A Bail with very short wings and no tail, which, 

 on that account, we named Pallus ecaudotus" (sic ! evidently misprint for ecaudatusl). 

 I fail to see how it is possible for any zoologist to accept a name which is founded on such a 

 diagnosis. If there was only one small Hail with short wings and tail on the Sandwich 

 Islands the name might be accepted ; but as we are convinced that there are, or rather have 

 been, at least two species of Pennula on the islands, now both extinct, this name is quite 

 inadmissible. Wilson, Sharpe, Hartlaub, and other authors can therefore not be followed in 



1 Doubtless misprint for millsi, as the letterpress shows. 



