528 CREX PRATENSIS. 



in the generic character. The tongue is rather short, fleshy, 

 emarginate and papillate at the base. The oesophagus is six 

 inches long, of nearly uniform diameter ; the stomach round- 

 ish, compressed, large, an inch and a quarter long ; its muscles 

 very large ; the intestine tAventy-five inches long ; the coeca 

 three and a quarter. 



The tibia are bare for about five-twelfths of an inch ; the 

 tarsus has eighteen anterior, and about the same number of 

 posterior scutella ; the first toe eight, the second twenty, the 

 third twenty-six, the fourth twenty-four. The claws are 

 small, slightly curved, compressed, rather acute. 



The plumage is blended, very short on the head, gradually 

 more elongated on the hind parts; the feathers oblong, curved, 

 with a slender plumule. The wings are rather short, broad, 

 and rounded ; the second primary longest, the third almost as 

 long, the first four-twelfths of an inch shorter, and about the 

 same length as the fifth ; the secondaries fourteen, long, 

 broad, rounded, the inner much elongated, slender, and like 

 the scapulars. The tail is very short, much rounded, of 

 twelve feathers, which are narrow, rounded, and considerably 

 induplicate. 



The bill is light brown, the lower mandible whitish at the 

 end. The iris is light hazel. The feet bluish flesh-colour. 

 The upper parts are light yellowish-brown, each feather 

 marked with an oblong central spot of brownish-black, and 

 laterally tinged with grey. The wing-coverts are light red, 

 some of them imperfectly barred with white. A broad band 

 of ash-grey passes over and behind the eye and ear, and the 

 cheeks are tinged with the same. The face, fore part and 

 sides of the neck, are light yellowish-brown, tinged with 

 grey ; the sides and breast barred with light red and white ; 

 the lower wing-coverts and axillar feathers light red ; the 

 chin and abdomen brownish-white. Quills and primary 

 coverts light brown, their outer webs tinged with light red ; 

 the edge of the wing and outer web of the first alular feather 

 and first quill, reddish white ; the inner secondaries and tail 

 feathers like the back. 



Length to end of tail 10| inches ; extent of wings 18 ; 

 Aving from flexure 6 ; tail 2 ; bill along the ridge ^4; along 



