512 LITTLE CRAKE. 



land. It nests, somewhat sparingly, from Holstein eastward, and 

 along the southern side of the Baltic as far as Livonia, as well as in 

 Central Russia ; more abundantly in Poland, Southern Germany, 

 Austro-Hungary, Central France, Savoy and the Rhone valley, and 

 also in Italy down to Sicily ; but is as yet only known on passage 

 in the rest of the Mediterranean and in Spain. It is, however, said 

 to be resident in Algeria, and it has been obtained in Tunisia, 

 while it winters in Equatorial Africa, and wanders to the Canaries. 

 In the Caspian district it is common in summer ; and eastward it 

 can be traced through Persia and Turkestan as far as Gilgit, while it 

 occurs on the lakes of Sind in winter. 



A nest found in the Obrez marsh in Slavonia on May 24th 1883, 

 is described by Mr. W. Eagle Clarke as a depression in the side of 

 a hummock of sedge about six inches above the water, amply lined 

 with short broad pieces of reed-blade, and containing 7 eggs. The 

 colour of these is pale olive flecked with dull brown ; their shape 

 is oval, and their dimensions somewhat exceed those of Baillon's 

 Crake, being I'l by "85 in. A newly-hatched chick, to which Mr. 

 Clarke's attention was drawn by the loud clear note of the old bird 

 on May 26th, was "glossy black with a beautiful dark greenish 

 cast, and had bluish-grey legs." The note is a deliant kik^ kik, kik. 

 In food and general habits this species resembles its congeners, but 

 Mr. Hume says that it is rather more insectivorous. He never 

 flushed it from sedge or reed, but found it running over or swim- 

 ming among the leaves of the lotus and water-lily, while he several 

 times saw it diving, apparently in search of food. 



The adult male has the beak green, red at the base ; irides red ; 

 centre of crown and hind neck, and the upper surface generally olive- 

 brown ; back with broad black streaks, and a few small white marks, 

 none of which are on the wings ; primaries clove-brown on both 

 webs (without any white outer margin to the first as there is in 

 P. baiUotii) ; inner secondaries dark brown in the centre, with broad 

 olivaceous edges ; tail-feathers with dark brown centres; forehead, 

 sides of the head, front of neck, breast and belly slate-grey ; thighs 

 and vent spotted and under tail-coverts barred with white ; legs and 

 toes green. Length 8 in. ; wing 4-2 in. The female is smaller, and 

 differs in having lores and streak above the eye grey ; crown, nape 

 and sides of the neck pale brown ; chin white ; front of neck, breast 

 and belly tawny buff-colour ; flanks and under tail-coverts greyish, 

 with narrow white bars. The young are still paler on the under 

 parts, and more streaked on the flanks. 



