22 RALLIDiE. 



send up for my use ; and the description and measurements, 

 to be hereafter given, were taken from that bird. In its 

 habits, food, and nesting, this species resembles that hist 

 described, Laying seven or eight oval-shaped eggs very similar 

 in colour, markings, size, and shape, to that of Crex piisilla. 



Mr. Sclby says, it is well known in the neighbourhood of 

 Boulogne, on the opposite coast, where it annually breeds 

 in the marshes ; it is found besides in several provinces of 

 France. M. Baillon has found it in the marshes of Picardy ; 

 it is seen occasionally in Switzerland, at Genoa, and through- 

 out Italy. Mr. Joseph Clarke sent me word he had seen 

 specimens from Africa ; and Dr. A. Smith brought examples 

 in his collection formed at the Cape, and in southern Africa. 

 M. Temminck says that skins sent from Japan do not differ 

 from those obtained in Europe. 



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 the scapulars, black, with numerous 

 spots and streaks of pure Avhite ; wing-coverts and tertials 

 clove-brown, spotted and streaked with pure white ; primaries 

 dark brown, the outer Aveb of the first quill-feather edged 

 with white ; upper tail-coverts ancj tail-feathers clove-brown ; 

 throat, cheeks, sides, and front of the 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 black, are so pure in colour as 

 the same parts in the males ; nor are the white spots so nu- 

 merous ; the chin white ; legs, toes, and claws, in the pre- 

 served specimen, pale brown ; all the other parts as in the 

 adult male. 



The whole length six inches and a half. From the carpal 



