For our first knowledge of this Guan we are also indebted to Azara, who described it in his 'Apuntamientos' (iii. p. 77) under the name _Yacú caraguata_, as found in the forests of Paraguay. Thence it extends into the wooded districts of the northern provinces of the Argentine Republic, where it was obtained by Dr. Burmeister in Tucuman and by Capt. Page's expedition on the Rio Paraná and Rio Vermejo. It is probable also that the Guan met with by White near Salta, and referred by him to _O. guttata_, was really of the present species. Order XIV. GERANOMORPHÆ. Fam. XLIII. RALLIDÆ, or RAILS. The Rallidæ are well represented in the Argentine Republic, eight Rails and Crakes, two Waterhens, and three Coots being met with within its limits, and it is highly probable that the list will be further augmented as discovery advances. The presence of three species of Coots, all apparently in abundance, is a somewhat special peculiarity of the Argentine Ornis. Most of the other Argentine Rallidæ have an extended range. 369. RALLUS MACULATUS, Bodd. (SPOTTED RAIL.) [Plate XIX.] [Illustration: RALLUS MACULATUS.] +Rallus maculatus+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 139; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 444; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1878, p. 65 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 276 (Entrerios); _Withington, Ibis_, 1888, p. 471 (Lomas de Zamora). _Description._--Above blackish; back and wings dark olive-brown, spotted all over with white: beneath barred across with white and black; chin and crissum white; bill yellow, with a bright red spot at the base; feet pale brown: whole length 11·0 inches, wing 5·2, tail 2·0. _Female_ similar. _Hab._ South America. The Spotted Rail, which has a wide distribution in South America, occurs as far south as Buenos Ayres. Our figure is taken from an example of this species obtained by Mr. F. Withington in September 1885 in the Lomas de Zamora. Concerning its nesting-habits he sends the following note:--"It breeds amongst the reeds, and its nest is placed about 18 inches from the water. To reach it the birds collect a heap of reeds, grass, and other materials, and alongside form an inclined platform that answers the purpose of a staircase, by which the birds ascend or descend with ease. The usual clutch of eggs is seven, but I have taken fifteen from one nest, all good. These, of course, could not have been laid by one bird." 370. RALLUS ANTARCTICUS, King. (ANTARCTIC RAIL.) +Rallus antarcticus+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 139; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 445; _iid. Ex. Orn._ t. lxxxii. p. 163; _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 276 (Carhué); _Withington, Ibis_, 1888, p. 471 (Lomas de Zamora). _Description._--Above brown, striped with black; wing-coverts rufous; remiges blackish: beneath plumbeous; flanks and under wing-coverts black, barred across with white: whole length 8·0 inches, wing 3·7, tail 1·5. _Female_ similar.