found at Norfolk Island, were seen here also in great numbers. The bill of this bird is red, and very strong, thick and sharp-pointed."
P. 225. "The inhabitants of this island were all of the feathered tribe . . . a new species, apparently of the Coote, and also of the Rail, and Magpie."
P. 273, with plate of "White Gallinule. A.L. pinxit," which I take to be A. Latham. "White Gallinule. This beautiful bird greatly resembles the Purple Gallinule in shape and make, but is much superior in size, being as large as a dunghill fowl. The length from the end of the bill to that of the claws is 2 feet 3 inches ; the bill is very stout, and the colour of it, the whole top of the head, and the irides red ; the sides of the head round the eyes are reddish, very thinly sprinkled with white feathers ; the whole of the plumage without exception is white. The legs the colour of the bill. This species is pretty common on Lord Howe's Island, Norfolk Island, and other places, and is a very tame one. The other sex, supposed to be the male, is said to have some blue on the wings."
Latham's plate in the above work is that of a completely different bird from that represented in Miss Stone's plate in White's work and the ' Ibis '- plate of Mr. Salvin ; while, again, the last two vary.
We come now to Latham's 'General History of Birds,' vol. ix. p. 428, Lond. 1824 :—
"White Gallinule.
Gallinula alba, Ind. Orn. ii. 768.
Fulica alba (White Fulica), White's Journal, p. 135, pi. p. 238.
Wldte Gallinule, Phil. Bot. Bay, pi. p. 273; Gen. Syn. Suppl. ii. 327.
"Size of a hen ; length two feet. Shape and colour of the bill as in the purple species, with also the crown red and bare ; irides red ; round the eye scarcely covered with feathers, so that the skin is visible, appearing somewhat rough ; the whole of the plumage pure white ; the legs red, claws brown ; on the bend of the wing a sharp spur. Some of these birds, supposed to differ in sex, are of a bright blue between the shoulders, and spotted on the back with the same.
