The Tahiti rail (Gallirallus pacificus) is an extinct bird species from
Tahiti. The rail was first recorded during James Cook's second voyage in
1772–1775, during which it was painted by Georg Forster and described
by his father Johann. It may have also existed on nearby Mehetia. It
appears to have been closely related to the buff-banded rail, and has
been confused with that bird's Tongan subspecies. The Tahiti rail was
9 in (23 cm) long, with white on its underparts, throat, and
"eyebrows". Its upper parts were black with white dots and bands, the
hind neck was rust-coloured, the breast was grey, and it had a black
band across its throat. The bill and iris were red, and the legs were
pink. It was supposedly flightless, and nested on the ground. It
frequented open areas, marshes, and coconut plantations, eating mainly
insects and some coconut meat. Its extinction, after 1844 on Tahiti, and
perhaps in the 1930s on Mehetia, was probably due to predation by humans
and introduced cats and rats.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahiti_rail>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1899:
An expedition led by Halford Mackinder made the first ascent of
Mount Kenya, the second-highest mountain in Africa.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya>
1959:
Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 impacted the Moon, becoming the first
spacecraft to reach another celestial body.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_2>
1985:
Super Mario Bros., one of the best-selling and most influential
video games of all time, was first released for the Nintendo
Entertainment System in Japan.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros.>
2008:
Five bomb blasts took place within a span of a few minutes in
Delhi, India, in a terrorist attack in a series committed by the Indian
Mujahideen.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13_September_2008_Delhi_bombings>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
cardsharp:
(card games) A professional cheater at card games.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cardsharp>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I see the bad moon arising I see trouble on the way I see
earthquakes and lightnin' I see bad times today. Don't go around
tonight Well, it's bound to take your life There's a bad moon on the
rise.
--John Fogerty
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Fogerty>