RALLIDE, 443 
Yarrell describes the present species as follows :— 
In the adult male “ the beak is green, the base red; 
irides red; top of the head and back of the neck 
clove-brown ; centre of the back and scapulars black, 
with numerous spots and streaks of pure white; 
wing-coverts and tertials clove-brown, spotted and 
streaked with pure white; primaries dark brown, the 
outer web of the first quill-feather edged with white ; 
upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers clove - brown; 
throat, cheeks, sides and front of neck, breast and 
belly uniform lead-grey; vent and under tail-coverts 
the same, but tipped with white; legs and toes 
flesh-colour. The female has both mandibles green 
at the point, pale reddish brown at the base; irides 
crimson-red; neither the black colour on the centre 
of the back or on the scapulars or the white spots 
upon the back are so pure in colour as the same 
parts in the male, nor are the white spots so 
numerous; the chin white; legs, toes and claws in 
the preserved specimen pale brown; all the other 
parts as in the adult male.” Yarrell also describes 
the young of the year before their first moult as 
having the neck, breast and under parts pale buffy 
white, mixed with hight brown. 
According to Meyer's plate, the egg is pale reddish 
brown, speckled all over with small dusky specks. 
Water Ratt, Rallus aquaticus. The Water Rail, 
or “Skitty,’ as it is often locally called, is resident 
and by no means uncommon in our county, although, 
