540 CREX BAILLONII. 



Young. — " The young resemble the adults in the colour 

 of their upper parts ; but their throat and the middle of the 

 belly are white, undulated with grey and olivaceous zigzag 

 lines ; the flanks are olivaceous, marked with numerous 

 spots of pure white ; the bill is of a greenish-brown. 



Habitation. — " It inhabits the same places as the Little 

 Gallinule, but almost always in marshy lagoons; and is 

 extensively distributed in the eastern parts, but is more 

 common toward the south, in the neighbourhood of Genoa. 

 It is also found in several provinces of France, and in the 

 whole of Italy. 



Food. — " Insects, small slugs, aquatic plants, and their 

 seeds. 



Propagation. — " It always nestles as near as possible to 

 water, without ever frequenting the fields ; and lays seven 

 or eight eggs, of the shape of olives, and of an olivaceous- 

 brown colour." 



It has several times been met with in England : near 

 Cambridge, Beccles, and Derby ; at Dilham and Barton, in 

 Norfolk ; and at Weston-super-Mare, on the Bristol Channel, 

 as related with details by Mr. Yarrell. I am not aware of 

 its having been found in Scotland. A single instance of its 

 occurrence in Ireland, in a bog at Clay Castle, near Youghal, 

 is mentioned by Mr. Thompson. 



