RALLID^ — THE RAILS — CREX 



381 



Genus CREX, Bechstein. 



Crex, Bechst. Naturg. Deutschl. IV. 1803, 470 (type, G. pratevMs, Bechst., = Rallus crex, Linn.). 



Char. Similar to Porzana, but larger and of stouter build, the middle toe shorter than the 

 tarsus, the culnien scarcely depressed in the middle portion, and the base of the gonys formincf a 

 decided angle. 



C pratensis. 



Crex pratensis. 



THE CORN-CRAKE. 



Eallmcrex, Lixx. S. N. ed. 10, 1758, 153 ; ed. 12, L 1766, 261. — Degl. Orn. Eur. II. 1849, 266. 



Gallinula crex, Lath. Ind. Orn. II. 1790, 766. 



Crex pratensis, Bechst. Taschenb. Vog. Deutsch. 1303, 337. — Naum. Vog. Deutschl. IX. 1838, 496, 



pi. 236. — BoNAP. Conip. List, 1838, 53. —Keys. & Blas. Wirb. Eur. 1840, 67. — Macgill. 



Man. II. 113 ; Hist. Brit. B. 17. 1852, 527. — Cass. Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. VII. Jan. 1855, 



265 (New Jersey) ; in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 751. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 558. 



— Coues, Key, 1872, 274 ; Check List, 1873, no. 471 ; 2d ed. 1882, no. 683. — Ridgw, Norn. 



N. Am. B. 1881, no. 577. 

 Crex hcrbaritm and C alticq^s, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. 1831, 694. 

 The Land-Bail, Yarr. Brit. B. ed. 2, III. 92, fig. ; ed. 3, III. 107, fig. ; et AucT. 



Hab. Palfearctic Region, occurring casually or irregularly in Eastern North America ; Green- 

 land ; Bermudas. 



Sp. Char. Adult : Above, grayish browm or light drab, conspicuously striped with black ; 

 wings reddish, with indistinct white transverse spots on the larger coverts. Lining of the wing 

 and axillars, soft cinnamon, the former edged with white. Head ash-gray, with an indistinct loral 

 and postocular narrow stripe of very pale drab — the crown like the back ; throat, belly, and anal 



