496 SPOTTED CRAKE. 



in that of May. In the marshy portions of France, Central Europe, 

 Italy and Sicily it breeds freely, but in the Spanish Peninsula it is 

 chiefly a migrant ; as a wanderer it has been obtained in the 

 Canary Islands ; while it is found in winter along the whole line of 

 Northern Africa, and as far as Abyssinia. In Asia its summer- 

 range extends eastward to Yarkand and southward to Gilgit, while 

 on its way to India in September it crosses— like the Quail— the 

 lofty Karakoram range. 



The nest, usually placed in a thick reed bed or in a tussock of 

 sedge surrounded by water, is formed externally of long flags, with 

 a cup-shaped centre lined with fine soft grass. The eggs, 8-10 in 

 number, are of an olive-buff ground-colour, spotted and flecked 

 with dark reddish-brown : average measurements i'3 by "9 in. The 

 young, which are at first covered with lustrous greenish-black down, 

 take to the water very soon after they are hatched. The call-note is 

 a peculiar whiiit, wliuit. Little can be seen of this species without 

 the assistance of one or more good dogs ; though when pursued by 

 them I have seen it flutter up into a tangled growth of brambles, 

 from which it could only be thrashed out with the greatest diffi- 

 culty. The food consists of worms, slugs, and aquatic insects, 

 with soft vegetable substances. 



The adult male has the bill yellowish, tinged with red at the base ; 

 eye-stripes, face and throat dull grey ; crown dark brown ; upper 

 parts generally olive-brown with darker streaks, and minute spots of 

 white, thickest on the neck, and again on the tail-coverts ; breast 

 brown, spotted with white ; belly dull grey ; flanks barred brown 

 and white ; legs and feet yellowish-green. Length 9 in. ; wing 4*5 

 in. The female is slightly smaller and duller in colour. In the 

 young bird the throat is white, and the spots are less pronounced, 



A specimen of the Carolina Crake, P. Carolina, shot near New- 

 bury, Berks, was exhibited at the meeting of the Zoological Society, 

 February 14th 1865, by Professor Newton, who remarked upon the 

 powers of endurance in their flight of various members of the 

 family Rallida^, and upon the capture of this species on one occa- 

 sion in Greenland. The adult may be distinguished from the 

 European bird by its black face. On the strength of a single 

 occurrence it seems inexpedient to add this native of America to 

 the British list. 



