BRITISH BIRDS. 1 39 



has a brownish shade, and is spotted with light grey 

 marks ; the breast is crossed by alternate black and white 

 irregular lines ; the vent and under tail coverts are thickly 

 barred with broad, crescentic, dark grey markings. The 

 legs and feet are dusky yellowish grey. Length, about 

 9 inches. Sexes alike. 



The nest is compactly built, so that in the case of the 

 water rising it will float. The eggs are whitish grey, 

 speckled with red and brown. Incubation, as with the 

 last species, lasts three weeks, and the 3'oung quit the nest 

 very soon after hatching. 



The spotted crake is migratory and very local in its 

 distribution, arriving in ]\[arch and departing in October. 



It is of rare occurrence in Scotland and Ireland, 

 and especially in the latter country, where an odd one 

 occurs at long intervals during the summer. 



Like the water rail, the spotted crake is easily domesti- 

 cated, and is esteemed a delicacy on the table ; but as it is 

 extremely shy in its habits, and very active in its move- 

 ments among the thick cover of the places it frequents, 

 it is not often shot, or indeed seen, for although it flies 

 fairly well, it prefers not to unnecessarily expose itself to 

 danger by rising. 



CoRX Crake. — The bill orange yellow ; the head and all 

 the upper parts brown, with a large dark centre to every 

 feather, except the wing coverts, secondaries, and flights, 

 which are unspotted, the last being the darkest. The 

 chin is white, and the face, throat, and breast are bluish 

 grey ; but starting from the corners of the mouth are two 

 wavy lines, one on each side, that are prolonged beyond 

 the ear coverts. The remaining under parts are very light 

 bluish grey, broadly marked by numerous crescentic patches 

 of a light buflf colour. The legs and feet are yellowish 

 brown. The female is a little smaller than her mate, and 



