662 REPORT OF THE HARVARD AFRICAN EXPEDITION 
GRUIFORMES 
RALLIDAE Rails 
Himantornis haematopus Hartlaub. Nkulengu Rail 
Himantornis haematopus Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., vol. 3, p. 357, 1855: Dabocrom, Gold Coast. 
A large rail of a general dull olive brown, the edges of the feathers paler, those on the back 
with a blackish subterminal area; throat dull white. Bill horn color, feet carmine. West Africa, 
Liberia to Congo. 
This large rail is apparently not rare in the wooded parts of Liberia. The 
only specimen we secured was trapped by a native at Paiata. Biittikofer and 
his associates, however, obtained several along the Junk and the Du as well as 
on the Farmington River. One of these was caught in the mangroves about 200 
yards from their station at Schieffelinsville. 
Two Cameroons specimens have slenderer bills and paler, more russet, outer 
sides to the primaries than our bird. Sclater has pointed out that if the Cam- 
eroons bird is really different, the name H. h. petiti (Oustalet) is available for it. 
Canirallus oculeus oculeus (Hartlaub). Gray-throated Rail 
Gallinula oculea Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., vol. 3, p. 357, 1855: Rio Boutry, Gold Coast. 
Chin and area about base of bill pale gray, throat and breast chestnut, belly drab, flanks barred 
with whitish; back olive brown, wing feathers blackish with large rounded white spots; short tail 
chestnut. Bill green at base, the tip gray. Liberia to Gold Coast. 
This is a secretive bird of woody swamps and, like all rails, difficult to secure. 
The only specimen we obtained was brought in at Kolobanu, near the St. Paul’s 
River, October 18. Biittikofer (1888) shot an adult male in a swampy inlet of 
the Du, near Hill Town, and later (1889) recorded three other adults from Mt. 
Olive and Mt. Gallilee. 
Limnocorax flavirostra (Swainson). Black Crake; “Black Water-hen”’ 
Gallinula flavirostra Swainson, Birds West Africa, vol. 2, p. 244, 1837: Senegal. 
Length 8.5 inches; black, the body and wings shining brown washed with slaty; eye, eye ring, 
and feet red, bill yellowish green. West Africa, south of the Sahara. 
This is probably a very local species. We heard nothing of it, and the only 
record is that of Buttikofer (1885, p. 245) who secured specimens near Robert- 
port, where several pairs lived in a fresh-water swamp at the foot of Cape Mount. 
In September their loud calls were heard nightly, sounding much like those of 
the European Corn Crake. They were very shy and difficult to see. On Novem- 
ber 15, three downy black young were brought to him there. 
Sarothrura pulchra pulchra (Gray). White-spotted Crake 
Crex pulchra J. E. Gray, Griffith’s ed. Cuvier’s Regne Anim., A ves, vol. 3, p. 410, fig., 1829: (Sierra 
Leone). 
Length 6 inches; head, neck, shoulders, breast and tail reddish brown, throat paler; sides and 
wings black with round white spots; eye reddish, bill black or gray-green, feet reddish brown. 
Female has sides, wings, and tail black barred with rusty. West Africa, Gambia to Angola. 
