"The young are said to be black ; then they become bluish grey, and afterwards pure white (Lath. Gen. Hist. ix. p. 428)." (Note) "What is the 'Coot' of Lord Howe's Island, Phill. Voy. Bot. Bay, p. 226?"
Also (Ibis, 3rd ser. vol. iii. Jan. 1873, p. 44)
A. von Pelzeln, on birds in the Imperial collection at Vienna, after refe- rences, says : — " Our collection is in possession of White's type (Fulica alba, Norfolk Isl.) ; the identity of the bird is proved by White's remark in the preface to his book, that the birds from which the drawings were taken are deposited in the Leverian Museum. In a letter on Lord Howe's Island (P. Z. S. 1869, p. 471), Dr. G. Bennet says that the White Gallinule figured in Phillip's 'Voyage to Botany Bay,' and found only in Norfolk and Lord Howe's Islands, is now extinct, as it has not been seen recently on either of these islands .... To Mr. A. Newton (Ibis, 1866) we owe the notice that, besides the specimen in the Imperial Museum at Vienna, there is a second in the Derby Museum at Liverpool, from Bullock's collection." (Note) " Herr von Pelzeln has just forwarded us a drawing of this species, from w^hich it is our intention to have a plate prepared for our next Number."
Accordingly, in 'The Ibis,' 3rd ser. vol. iii. July 1873, Mr. Salvin pub- lishes the plate (x.), and says, in a " Note on the Fulica alba of White:"—
"On comparing the coloured drawing with the specimens of Notornis mantelU in the British Museum, it appeared evident that the bird in the Imperial Cabinet at Vienna must belong to Notornis. The short wings and the short toes, as well as the outline of the back, indicated clearly a far greater generic affinity with Notornis than with Porphyria.
"I therefore (depending, of course, upon the accuracy of the drawing sent me, which has been placed on stone by Mr. Keulemans on a slightly larger scale than the original sketch) have little hesitation in adding this species to the genus Notornis, thereby confirming the position pointed out for it by Herr von Pelzeln (anteà, p. 44)."
At the risk of being tedious I make the following extracts from White, Phillip, and Latham, Gray's 'Voyage of the Erebus & Terror,' and state my own view.
