CASTANOLIMNAS. — CREX. 115 



Both sets are small, well-defitiud, and sparingly distributed over 

 the shell. Six examples measure from 1-(J to 1"05 in length, and 

 from l*2o to 1*28 in breadth. 



<). Betsileo, Madagascar. Rev. W. Deans Cowan [C.]. 



Genus CASTANOLIMNAS, Sharpe. 



Castanolimnas canningi (BhjtJi). 



llallina canningi, Hume Sf- Marsh. Game Birds Ind. ii. p. 241 (1879) ; 



Gates ed. Hume, Ne-ffs ^- Efff/s Ind. B. iii. p. 398 (1890). 

 Oastauolimnas canningi, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M, xxiii. p. 80 (1894) ; 



id. Hand-l. i. p. 100 (1899). 



The eggs of the Andamanese Banded Crake are of a very broad 

 oval or spheroidal form, and are of a piukish-bufF colour, marked 

 with numerous large pale purple, reddish-brown, and maroon-brown 

 dashes and blotches. The two sets of markings are spread over ihe 

 whole shell, but more thickly at the large end than elsewhere. The 

 four examples in the Collection measure respectively : 1'45 by 1-1 ; 

 l-3o by 1-05 ; 1-42 by 1-12 ; 1-45 by 1-14. 



4. Port Blair, Andamans, 16th July Ilume Coll. 



{F. A. de Roepstorff). 



Genus CREX, Beclist. 



Crex crex {Linn.). 



Rallus crex, Thien. Fortpjlanz. (/es. Voff. tab. Ixxii. fig. .3, a~c (1845-54). 



Crex pratensis, Baedeker, JEier Mir. Vog. tab. 44. fig. 5 (1855-63) ; Ilewit- 

 son, Egqs of Brit. Birds, ii. ]). 372, pi. cv. fig. ii (1856) ; Dresser, Birds 

 Eur. vii. p. 291 (1878) ; Seebohm, Brit. Birds, ii. p. 535, pi. 23 

 (1884) ; id. Eggs of Brit. Birds, p. 83, pi. 22. fig. 9 (1896). 



Crex crex, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. xxiii. p. 82 (1894) ; id. Hand-l. i. 

 p. 100 (1899). 



The eggs of the Corn-Crake are generally of a broad oval form, 

 but elliptical examples are frequent. The ground varies from a 

 creamy white to a pale butf, and it is occasionally of a pale bluish- 

 white colour. This is marked, rather iudistinctl}', with small 

 blotches of very pale purple, and with specks, spots, streaks, and 

 blotches of reddish brown. 13oth sets of markings are somewhat 

 sparingly scattered over the shell except at the larger end, where 

 they are numerous and frequently confluent. On some specimens 

 rhe markings consist entirely of fine dots. The eggs measure from 

 l-;35 to 1-5 in length, and from 1 to I'l in breadth. 



2. Balmacara, Ross-shire (Z). Chishohn : Seebohm Coll. 

 Ilargitt Cull.). 



5. Drumnadrochit, Inverness {A. Laio- Seebohm Coll.' 



ler : Hargitt Coll.). 

 2. Drunuiadrocliit (A, Laicler: Han/itt Seebohm Coll. 

 Coll.). 



i2 



