Olson and Ran.on • WAKE ISLAND RAIL 
673 
FIG. 5. Comparison of skeletal elements of Wake Island Rail (Gallirallus wakensis USNM 289255.) (right), and Buff- 
banded Rail (G. philippensis USNM 560791) (left). The skulls do not differ greatly in size, but the hindlimb elements of the 
Wake Rail are considerably smaller and the sternum and wing elements are greatly reduced, particularly the carina of the 
sternum, one of the chief manifestations of flightlessness. 
measurements of femora and tibiolarsi. Iwaniuk et 
al. (2004) estimated weight of one individual at 
99.2 g based on ratios derived from skeletal 
measurements. They found that the predicted 
brain volume based on that calculation was 
1-26 ml whereas the actual brain volume was 
1.45 ml. 
Sexual Differences .—There is an apparently 
skewed sex ratio among the USNM series, which 
comprises 28 males versus 17 females. There are 
only four specimens (2 males and 2 females) with 
sex reported in other collections. This could be 
due to collecting bias with males being more 
aggressive and conspicuous and females being 
more retiring, which is also suggested by the 
condition of the primaries. Twelve of the males 
(43%) had the primaries so worn and broken that 
wing chord could not be measured, whereas 
among the females only one was in such 
condition. We rated the primaries in the male 
series as being relatively unworn (4). some new 
but others worn (1). intact hut outer vanes faded 
(7), or broken (12). The majority of females (II) 
had the primaries intact but faded and three had 
