110 RALLID^. 



Eallus virginianus, Linn, 

 (Plate IX. fig. 1.) 



rRallus virginianus, Baird, Brewer ^ Ridgio. Water Birds N. Am. i. 

 p. 363' (1884) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. xxiii. p. 16 (1894) ; id. 

 Hand.l. i. p. 94 (1899). 



The eggs of the Virginia, or Little Red-breasted, Rail are of an 

 oval shape with a tendency to the pyriform. They have a consider- 

 able amount of gloss. The ground is cream-coloured and this is 

 delicately marked with small weU-defined spots of rufous and 

 pale purple, which are more frequent at the large end than else- 

 where. The eggs measure from 1*2 to 1'35 in length, and from 

 •92 to -95 in breadth, 



1. N. America. A. D. Bartlett, Esq. 



2. N. America (Henshaiv Coll.). Salvin-Godman Coll. 

 1. N. America (Smiths. Inst.). Salviu-Godman Coll. 

 1. Wisconsin (T. M. Brewer). Sahin-Godman Coll. 



Rallus antarcticus. King. 



(Plate IX. fig. 4.) 



Rallus antarcticus, Scl. Sf Huds. Argent. Orn. ii. p. 148 (1889) ; James, 

 New List of Chilian Birds, p. 10 (1892) ; Sharjye, Cat. Birds B. M. 

 xxiii. p. 19 (1894) ; id. Hand-l. i. p. 94 (1899). 



The eggs of the Antarctic Rail are of a broad oval form and they 

 have little gloss. The ground is of a delicate pinkish-cream colour 

 and this is sparingly spotted, except at the large end where the 

 markings are more numerous, with rufous and pale purple. A few 

 specimens are also marked at the large end with some twisted 

 rufous lines. They measure from 1'62 to 1-75 in length, and 

 from 1-2 to 1-25 in breadth. 



8. Central Chile, Oct. Berkeley James Coll. 



Rallus aquaticus, Linn. 



Rallus aquaticus, Thien. Fortpf/anz. yes. Vog. tab. Ixxii. fig. 2, a-e 

 (1845-54) ; Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vtig. tab. 44. fio-. 1 (1855-63) ; Heicit- 

 son, Eggs of Brit. Birds, ii. p. 373, pi. cv. fig. i (185G) ; Salvin, Ibis, 

 1859, p. 360; Saunders, Ibis, 1871, p. 225; Dresser, Birds Eur. vii. 

 p. 257 (1878); Seebohm, Brit. Birds, ii. p. 552, pi. 23 (1884); 

 Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. xxiii. p. 20 (1894); Irby, Orn. Str. Gibr. 

 2nd ed. p. 246 (1895); Seebohm, Egqs of Brit. Birds, p. 86, pi. 22. 

 fig. 3 (1896) ; Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 94 (1899). 



The eggs of the Water-Rail are normally of a regular oval form, 

 but some are almost perfect ellipses. The amount of gloss is very 

 variable, some possessing it in a high degree and others wanting it. 

 The ground varies from a pinkish cream to a pale pinkish-buff 

 colour, and this is marked with pale purple and reddish brown of 

 different shades. The markings, as a rule, consist of small, well- 

 defined specks and spots intermingled with a few small blotches, 

 and they are more frequent at the large end, where they are often 

 confluent. Specimens measure from 1*25 to 1*5 in length, and from 

 •95 to 1"1 in breadth. 



