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Show 26 MESSRS. HARTLAUB AND FINSCH [Jan. 3, rudimentary soft tail-feathers olivaceous black ; primaries and secondaries dark brownish black ; coverts of the remiges and upper quill-coverts dark olive-brown, somewhat darker than the back ; under surface of wing and under quill-coverts dark brownish black. Bill reddish orange ; frontal shield more yellow ; legs and feet reddish; claws hornish brown. " Bill light red, with a yellow frontal shield ; legs and feet light red ; irides brown-red. Native name Puneei' (Kubary.) rostr. incl. rostr. dig. Latit. Long. tota. ala?. caud. scut. a rict. tars. tib. med. scut. c. 10!" 4"4'" 16'" 16'" 14_'" 18'" 6'" 16'" 5'" The single specimen described above, although marked by the collector, Mr. Kubary, as "young female," is apparently a full-grown bird, and exhibits such great differences from the nearest allied genus Gallinula that we cannot avoid separating it as a well marked distinct genus. In its general appearance it much resembles Gallinula, but may be at once distinguished by the shortness of its wings, the shortness of its toes, and its nearly rudimentary tail. The bill agrees with that of Gallinula ; but the frontal shield is not so far extended (as in G. chloropus), and, what is of some importance, the singular short velvet-like feathers of the lores advance towards the base of the nostrils into an acute angle, whereas in Gallinula they never reach the nostrils. The wings, as mentioned already, are very short, rounded ; their feathers very soft, broad, at the end rounded ; the third to the sixth quills equal and longest; the second and seventh somewhat shorter; the first one inch shorter than the fourth ; the longest secondaries nearly reach the primaries ; therefore scarcely any prominent wing-end exists. As regards this singular structure of the wings, Pareudiastes seems to be most nearly allied to Habrnptila, but is quite different from Gallinula. The same is the case as regards the tail, which consists of narrow lax feathers, nearly rudimentary. Not less than the wings are the feet different. In Gallinula the middle toe is always longer then the tarsus, whereas in Pareudiastes the middle toe is considerably shorter; besides, the nails are also shorter and rather more curved than in Gallinula. The eyes seem to be uncommonly large ; and this, as well as the other peculiarities, gives some right to suspect that this remarkable form will exhibit also interesting peculiarities in respect to its habits, of which, unfortunately, Mr. Kubary tells us nothing. W e are strongly of opinion that Pareudiastes is unable to fly, and hope to get more information about it next time from the discoverer. A second specimen of Pareudiastes pacificus, forwarded in spirits, is apparently younger. It shows the shield dirty yellowish ; the bill reddish brown, the tip darker brown; feet and legs reddish horn-brown ; claws horn-brown. The measurements of this specimen are as follows :- Long. rostr. scut. rost. tib. dig. Latit. tota. alae. caud. incl. a rict. tars. med med scut 10" 4" 4'" 16"' 18"' 15'" 19'" 6!"' 16'"' 4"|'" |