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and the lower portions rufous banded with white in pratensis, 

 while egregia has transverse bands of black and white. The 

 European bird measures 9f inches to the South African 

 bird's 1\ incln >. 



There are two species of spotted Crakes (Ortygometra), 

 for which we must refer the reader to larger books. 



The best known Crake in South Africa, perhaps., is the 

 little Black Crake (Limnocorax niger), with red legs and a 

 greenish bill to relieve the general black of its plumage. 

 Length, 7-f inches. It is fairly well distributed over the 

 sub-continent. 



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The Moorhen (Gall inula chloropus) — the Rooi-bles Hoender 

 or Rooi-bles Riet Haan — is black in colour, fading into a 

 slatey shade on the under-surface. Frontal shield red. 

 Basal portion of bill red, remainder greenish-yellow. 



This is widely spread species, being also found in Europe 

 and Asia. Length. 13 inches. 



The Lesser Moorhen (Gallinula angulata) is considerably 

 smaller than the preceding species, being only 9| inches in 

 length : it has no red on the lower mandible. 



The King Reed-Hen (Porphyria porphyrio) is olive-green 

 above ; back of the head, breast and belly purple- blue ; 

 face, throat and upper breast blue. Frontal shield red. 

 Length, 18 inches. 



This handsome bird is a denizen of thick reed-beds and 

 arum-patches, where it lies concealed the best part of the 

 day, searching for its food, which consists of shoots of 

 plants, seeds, worms, &c, in the mornings and evenings. 

 It breeds amongst the reeds, usually placing its nest on a 

 platform of reed-stems, and laying from four to eight eggs 



