ALECTORIDES— RALLID.T: 317 



Breeds. — Algeria (high plateaux) (and possibly Morocco and 

 S. Spain), Dobrudscha, S. Russia from Kiev east to Orenburg ; 

 also widely in Asia. Migratory ; found in winter in N.E. Africa 

 and S. Asia ; rare visitor to N. and W. Europe, recorded Hungary, 

 Germany, Sweden, Heligoland, and Britain. 



RALLID^. 



Body laterally compressed ; wing short and rounded ; 

 hind toe present ; legs and toes long ; tail short ; nestling 

 nidifugous, covered with black down. 



Rallus. 



Bill longer than head; tarsus shorter than middle toe 

 with claw ; nares long, lying in a groove. 



Rallus aquaticus aquaticus L. Water-Rail. Fr. 



Rale d'eau ; Ger. Wasscrralle ; Ital. Porciglione ; Stued. 

 Vattenralle. 



c^ ? Above olive brown with broad black central streaks ; 

 beneath slate grey, flanks darker grey barred white, ventral region 

 reddish buff. Bill orange red, ridge above and lip black brown. 

 Legs and feet fleshy brown. Wing $ 120-126, ? 113-118. 

 Tarsus 41-45. Bill ^ 38-40, ? 35-37. 



Breeds. — Iceland (rare), Britain, throughout Europe from 

 Mediterranean north to Arctic Circle, N. Africa (Egypt (rare) 

 to Morocco) ; possibly W. Siberia. Largely migratory ; not 

 uncommon in N.W. Europe in winter, but winters chiefly 

 Mediterranean Basin ; also occurs at that season in S.W. Asia. 



The distribution of thi^ race and that of " R. aquaticus 

 korejewi" Sarudny (a paler form) in extreme W. Siberia is 

 not yet ascertained. 



PORZANA. 



Bill shorter than head ; narcs in a groove and partly 

 covered by membrane; middle toe with claw longer than tarsus. 



Porzana porzana (L.). Si'Otted Crake. Fr. Poule d'cau 

 niamucllc ; Ger. 'rui)fclsumpfhuhn ; Ital. Voltolino ; Siced. 

 Smartuckig Sumplicina. 



cJ $ Above olive brown, streaked white and with some 



