MEGACREX INEPTA, Albert, Salvad, 
New-Guinea Flig’litless Rail. 
Megacrex inepta, D’ Albert. & Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic, Genov, xiv. p. 130. — D’Albert. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879, 
p. 218. 
Considerable interest attaches to the discovery of the present species, as adding another flightless bird to 
the number already known in the world. Irrespective of the large Struthious birds such as the Ostrich, the 
Rheas, the Cassowary, and the Apteryges, there arc several Rails, from New Zealand, New Caledonia, and 
the islands to the east of Australia, which only possess the power of flight to a very limited extent ; and now 
Signor D’Albertis has discovered a species belonging to tlie last-named family in South-eastern New Guinea, 
thus extending the habitat of the flightless Rallidm, and adding a new genus to the family. Five specimens 
were obtained by him on the Fly River — four males and a female, the latter being described as exactly similar 
to the males collected, but a little smaller. Count Salvador! remarks with truth that Megacrex inepta bears 
considerable resemblance in its coloration to the South-American genus Aramides, forming therefore, with 
the large Harpy Buzzard {Harpyopm novcB-giiinem) and the Papuan Tiger Bittern {Tigrisoma heliosylos), 
which are also closely allied to South-American forms, another remarkable link between the neotropical 
region and the far distant islands of the Papuan subregion. It is quite possible, as it has always seemed 
to me, that a comjiarison of South-American genera with some of the Old-World forms would prove 
that the former are not so far distant from the genera of Africa and Australia as most ornithologists seem 
to believe. 
Unfortunately we have at present no account of the habits of this new Rail, as Is often the case on the 
discovery of a new species, when explorers, carrying their lives in their hands In a new country, cannot do 
more than preserve specimens of the species which come under their notice. Signor D’Albertis merely 
remarks that the Megacrex frequented ditches in the neighbourhood of the Fly River winch had water in 
them during the dry season, that it ran swiftly, and appeared incapable of flight. 
The following is a translation of the original description given by the two naturalists in the work above 
quoted : — 
“ Head and neck dusky brown ; the forehead more ashy ; the sides of the head ashy grey, the lores dusky, 
the throat whitish ; the sides of the neck pale vinaceous In the middle, below brownish olive ; back olive- 
greyish ; rump and upper tail-coverts brown, as also the tail, which is very short and concealed; fore neck, 
upper part of breast, and sides of the latter rufescent ; middle of breast and abdomen white, slightly tinged 
with rufous ; the sides olivaceous ; lower abdomen and thighs greyish vinous, the sides of the abdomen and 
under tail-coverts brown ; wing-coverts greyish olive, uniform with the back ; quills brownish olive ; bill 
yellowish green ; feet black ; iris dark blood-red. 
My figure represents the species nearly the size of life, and is drawn from one of the typical specimens 
kindly lent to me by Signor D’Albertis. 
