18 RALLID.E. 



particularly in the central and southern parts. M. Vieillot, 

 in liis History of the Birds of France, says it is found in the 

 rice-fields of Piedmont, and in the Pyrenees ; and was found 

 also by M. Baillon in the marshes of Picardy. It is com- 

 mon in Italy, and the eastern parts of Europe. Messrs. 

 Dickson and Ross, corresponding members of, and liberal 

 donors to, the Zoological Society, obtained two specimens at 

 Erzeroom, in boggy ground near the river ; one in April, 

 and the second in May, of the year 1839. 



M. Temminck says that specimens from Japan do not 

 differ from those killed in Europe. 



In the adult male the beak is green, but red at the base ; 

 the iridcs red ; top of the head, back of the neck, and upper 

 surface of the body generally, olive-brown ; the centre of the 

 back almost black, with a very few white marks, but no white 

 marks on the wing-coverts or quill-feathers ; the primaries 

 dark clove-brown ; the tertials dark brownish black in the 

 centre, with broad olivaceous margins ; upper tail-coverts and 

 tail-feathers dark brown ; the chin greyish white ; sides of 

 the head, the neck in front, the breast and belly, uniform 

 slate-grey ; the feathers of the flanks dark brown ; those of 

 the thighs, vent, and the under tail-coverts slate-grey, spot- 

 ted with white ; legs and toes green. 



The whole length about seven inches. From the carpal 

 joint to the end of the wing four inches and one eighth ; the 

 second and third quill-feathers nearly equal in length, and 

 longer than the first. 



The female has the beak, irides, and legs, like the male ; 

 round the eye pearl-grey ; top of the head, sides and back 

 of the neck, pale brown ; middle of the back nearly black, 

 Avith only two or three small spots of white ; scapulars brown, 

 with one or two spots of white ; the wing-coverts and tertials 

 dark in the centre, with broad edges of pale brown, the inner 

 margins lighter in colour than the outer ; primaries dusky 

 brown ; no white spots on the wing-coverts or quill-feathers ; 



