Okdee GEALL^.] 
[Fam. EALLIDiE. 
OETYGOMETEA TABFENSIS. 
(SWAMP-KAIL.) 
Tahuan Mail, Lath. Gen. Syn. hi. pt. 1, p. 235 (1785). 
Mallus fahiensis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 717 (1788, ex Lath.). 
Crex plumbea. Gray, in Griffith’s Anim. Kingd. iii. p. 410 (1829). 
Gallinula immaculata, Swains. Classif. of B. ii. p. 358 (1837). 
Mallus minutns, Forst. Descr. Anim. p. 178 (1844). 
Coretlirura tahwensis, Gray, Gen. of B. iii. p. 595 (1846). 
Zapornia spilonota, Peale, U. S. Expl. Exp. p. 244 (1848). 
Morzana immaculata, Gould, B. Austr. vi. pi. 82 (1848). 
Porzana tahuensis, Hartl. J. f. O. 1854, p. 169. 
Zapornia iimhrina, Cass. Pr. Phil. Acad. viii. p. 254 (1856). 
Zapornia umhrata, Hartl. Wiegm. Arch. 1858, p. 29. 
Mallus minor, Ellman, Zool. 1861, p. 7470. 
PorzanaX tahuensis, Gould, Handb. B. of Austr. ii. p. 341 (1865). 
Ortygometra tahuensis, Finsch & Hartl. Beitr. Faun. Centralpolyn. p. 167 (1867). 
Zapornia tahuensis. Gray, Hand-1, of B. iii. p. 63 (1870). 
Native names . — Pueto and Putoto. 
Ad. suprk obscure chocolatinus, alis dorso coiicoloi’ibus, primariis nigricantibus, extus dorsi colore lavatis : cauda 
uigricante vix dorsi colore lavata : pileo sordide plumbescente, obscure brunneo adumbrato, facie laterali 
paullb pallidiore : corpore subtiis sordide ciiiereo, hypocbondriis crissoque obsolete, subcaudalibus latius et 
magis conspicue albo transfasciatis : subalaribus cinerascenti-brunneis albo variis : rostro nigricanti-brunueo : 
pedibus pallide rubris : iride saturate rubr^. 
Adult. Head, neck, and all the under surface dark slate-grey, shaded on the crown with dull brown, and fading 
into light cinereous grey on the chin ; the whole of the back and upper surface of wings chocolate-brown, 
becoming darker on the rump and upper tail-coverts j wing-feathers blackish brown, dusky grey on their 
under surface; the first primary narrowly margined on the outer web with greyish white; tail-feathers dull 
brownish black ; inner lining of wings slaty brown, largely varied with wdiite ; axillary plumes and feathers 
covering the flunks tinged with brown, the former presenting obsolete bars and the latter minutely tipped 
with white ; under tail-coverts dark brown, with numerous transverse bars of white. Irides and eyelids 
bright red; tarsi and toes paler red; bill uniform brownish black. Total length 7'25 inches; wing, from 
flexure, 3-3 ; tail 2 ; bill, along the ridge ‘7, along the edge of lower mandible '8 ; bare tibia '4 ; tarsus 1 ; 
middle toe and claw 1'4; hind toe and claw 1'55. 
^ounff. Plumage darker and with less brown on the upper parts. Irides, bill, and feet black. 
ek. Covered with black down of a silky texture and delicately glossed with green. Bill black, with a minute 
■'Yhite spot near the tip of upper mandible ; irides and legs black. 
ke sexes are precisely alike in plumage. 
' y An example in the Otago Museum has the throat white, with slight indieations also of white down the 
fore neck and breast. 
