Ocydromus brachypterus, Lafr. (Black Woodhen.)

Dr. Sharpe reports that he has examined the type specimen of Gallirallus brachypterus from the Caen Museum, for the loan of which he was indebted to Professor Joyeux-Laffine, the Director of that Museum. Dr. Sharpe points out that the species has been the subject of much controversial opinion, but that it is evidently the same as Gallirallus fuscus of DuBus, which must therefore be known as Ocydromus brachypterus (Bull. B.O.C., Jan., 1873). This being so, the Buff Woodhen, which I referred to Ocydromus brachypterus in my second edition of "The Birds of New Zealand," becomes Ocydromus hectori, Hutton (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. vi., p. "110, 1874), or, perhaps more properly, Ocydromus troglodytes, Gmelin.