353 Mr. T. Ayres on the 



These Crakes are occasionally to be got whilst Snipe- 

 shooting. 



217. PoRZANA EGREGiA, Pet. Greater African Crake. 

 Male^ shot 14th May. Irides orange, eyelids bright red ; 



bill pale bluish horn-colour, dusky on the ridge, and pale at 

 the base of the under mandible ; tarsi and feet dusky pale ; 

 total length 9| inches, bill 1, tarsus 1, wing 4f, tail If. 



The only specimen I have seen ; I shot it whilst trying for 

 Snipe in the marsh close by Potchefstroom ; it must be ex- 

 ceedingly rare here. 



[This scarce Crake is described in Finsch and Hartlaub''s 

 ' Vogel Ost-Afrika's,^ p. 778, where the details of its synonymy 

 will be found in extenso. — J. H. G.] 



218. CoTURNicops AYREsi,n. sp. Avrcs'Crake. (Plate VII.) 

 This pretty little fellow we call the White-winged Rail, 



from the white patch on the wing, which is very conspicuous 

 when it is flushed and making away. I have only noticed 

 this species here the last two seasons ; it is very scarce ; the 

 two sent are the only specimens I have obtained, though I 

 have seen one or two others. 



The bird shot the 4th October contained water-insects in 

 its stomach. 



Female (apparently adult) shot 24th November. Total 

 length G^ inches, bill y\j tarsus -ff, wing 3, tail If; irides 

 ashy hazel ; bill dusky, under mandible pale ; tarsi and feet 

 dusky. 



Female (apparently immature) shot 4th October. Total 

 length 6 J inches, bill \, tarsus 1, wing 3, tail 1|; bill pale 

 dusky, darkest on the ridge ; tarsi and feet dusky pink. 



[On receiving the two Crakes above mentioned I was unable 

 to refer them to any species with which I was acquainted, 

 and I therefore sought the kind assistance of Mr. Salvin, who 

 confirmed me in the belief that they belong to a species 

 hitherto undescribed, which I propose should bear the name 

 of my valued correspondent Mr. Thomas Ayres, to whose 

 researches we are indebted for this interesting acquisition. 



Mr. Salvin has also been so good as to point out to me that 



