MEGACREX INEPTA, D'Albert, ¿y Salvad.
New-Guinea Flightless Rail.
Megacrex ineptci, D’Albert. & Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic, Genov, xiv. p. 130.—D’Albert. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879,
p. 218.
Considerable interest attaches to the discovery o f the present species, as adding another flightless bird to
the number already known in the world. Irrespective o f the large Strutbious birds such as the Ostrich, the
Rheas, the Cassowary, and the Apteryges, there are several Rails, from New Zealand, New Caledonia, and
the islands to the east o f A ustralia, which only possess the power o f flight to a very limited e x te n t; and now
Signor D ’Albertis has discovered a species belonging to the last-named family in South-eastern New Guinea,
thus extending the habitat o f the flightless Rallidae, and adding a new geuus to the family. Five specimens
were obtained by him on the Fly R iver—four males and a female, the latter being described as exactly similar
to the males collected, but a little smaller. Count Salvadori remarks with truth th at Megacrex inepta bears
considerable resemblance in its coloration to the South-American genus Aramides, forming therefore, with
the large Harpy Buzzard (Harpyopsis novee-guinece) and the Papuan Tig er Bittern ( Tigrisoma hieliosylos),
which are also closely allied to South-American forms, another remarkable link between the neotropical
region and the far distaut islands o f the Papuan subregion. I t is quite possible, as it has always seemed
to me, th at a comparison o f South-American genera with some o f the Old-World forms would prove
th at the former are not so far distant from the genera o f Africa and Australia as most ornithologists seem
to believe.
Unfortunately we have a t present no account o f the habits o f 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 o f the species which come under their notice. Signor D ’Albertis merely
remarks th at the Megacrex frequented ditches in the neighbourhood of the Fly River which had water in
them during the dry season, th at it ran swiftly, and appeared incapable o f flight.
The following is a translation o f the original description given by the two naturalists in the work above
q u o ted :—
“ Head and neck dusky brown ; the forehead more a sh y ; the sides o f the head ashy grey, the lores dusky,
the throat whitish ; the sides of the neck pale vinaceous in the middle, below brownish o liv e ; back olive-
greyish ; rump and upper tail-coverts brown, as also the tail, which is very short and concealed; fore neck,
upper p a rt o f breast, and sides o f the latter ru fescen t; middle o f breast and abdomen white, slightly tinged
with ru fo u s; the sides olivaceous; lower abdomen and thighs greyish vinous, the sides o f the abdomen and
under tail-coverts b row n ; wing-coverts greyish olive, uniform with the b a c k ; quills brownish oliv e; bill
yellowish green ; feet b lack ; iris dark blood-red.
My figure represents the species nearly the size o f life, and is drawn from one o f the typical specimens
kindly lent to me by Signor D ’Albertis.