OuDER GllALLiE.] 
[Fam. EALLID^. 
OETYGOMETEA AFFINIS. 
(MAESH-EAIL.) 
Ortygometra affinis, Gray, Voy. Ereb. and Terror, Birds, p, 14 (1844). 
Porzana affinis, Bonap. C. K. xliii. p. 599 (1856). 
Pallus punotatus, Ellman, Zool. 1861, p. 7470. 
Ortygometra pygmcBa, Finsch, Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. viii. p. 202* (1876). 
Native name. — Koitareke. 
supra oclirascenti-olivaceus, dorsi plumis medialiter nigris et albo vermiculatim aut irregulariter notatis vel 
marginatis : pileo paullulum obscuriore, nigro notato : tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus fere immacu- 
latis, majoribus autem versus apicem albo ocellatis ; remigibus brunneis concoloribus, primario extimo 
albido anguste marginato, secundariis medialiter nigricantibus dorsi colore marginatis et extus maculis albis 
notatis : cauda nigra satm’ate ochraceo lavata : supercilio distincto, facie laterali et corpore subtus toto 
cinereis, abdomine imo cum hypochondriis et subcaudalibus nigricantibus, albo aut maculatis vel transfas- 
ciatis : subalaribus cinerascentibus, albo notatis : rostro et pedibus pallide brunneis olivascente tinctis : 
iride sordide rubra. 
Adult. Crown of the head, nape, and all the hind neck rusty brown, with a broad mark of black down the centr 
of each feather; lower sides of the neck and the upper wing-coverts pale rusty brown, some of the feathers 
tipped with white ; hack and mantle brownish black, varied with white and broadly margined with rusty 
brown ; the secondary wing-coverts conspicuously ocellated on both webs, and terminally margined with 
white ; upper tail-coverts dark rusty hrown ; sides of the head, throat, fore neck, and the whole of the breast 
pale cinereous grey, fading to silvery grey on the chin ; sides of the body, flanks, abdomen, and under tail- 
coverts blackish brown, crossed by numerous irregular bands of white; wing-feathers dull olive-brown, dusky 
grey on their under surface, the first primary narrowly margined on the outer web with white ; lining of 
wings greyish brown, obscurely marked wdth white ; tail-feathers blackish brown, with rusty margins and 
obsolete spots of white. The tongue is furnished with a horny tip. Irides dull red ; bill, tarsi, and toes pale 
brown, tinged with olive. Total length 7 5 inches; wing, from flexure, 3'25 ; tail I'G; bill, along the 
ridge -7, along the edge of lower mandible *8 ; bare tibia '5 ; tarsus I'Oo ; middle toe and claw 1'5 ; hind 
toe and claw ‘6. 
5 ouuff. Differs from the adult in having the plumage of the upper surface generally lighter and the sides of the 
neck and upper parts of the breast much suffused with pale rufous ; the banded markings on the flanks are less 
distinct, the white bars being broken and the black more or less suffused with brown. Irides bright reddish 
brown ; bill pea-green shading into black on the upper mandible ; tarsi and toes pale olive, the joints and 
claws brownish ; tongue bluish green. Total length 7 inches ; extent of wings 10 ; wing, from flexure, 3‘3. 
06s. 
^ The bands on the flanks are more conspicuous in the male, and the ferruginous of the upper parts is 
Tighter ; in other respects the sexes are alike. There is no appreciable difference in size. 
This species closely resembles the Australian O. palustris, but is distinguishable by its somewhat larger 
ize and the absence of white markings on the primaries. 
belono-s reall " Ortygometra pygmaa, Naum. A specimen received from Dr. Haast, under the name of 0. affinis, 
TnnnTi n a ^ 'widely-distributed species. I compared it with specimens from various parts of Europe, Australia, and 
cannot detect the slightest constant character to keep it separate.” 
