840 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



these respects it as closely assimilates to its European ally as 

 it does in its structure and outward appearance. 



The sexes present so little difference in colour, that they are 

 only to be distinguished by dissection. 



All the upper surface olive, with a broad stripe of blackish 

 brown down the centre and two oval spots of white, bounded 

 above and below with black on the margin of each web of 

 every feather ; primaries and secondaries brown ; tail dark 

 brown, margined with lighter brown and with an indication of 

 white spots on the extreme edge ; face, throat, chest and 

 upper part of the abdomen dark slate-grey ; lower part of the 

 abdomen and flanks greyish black, crossed by narrow irregu- 

 lar bars of white ; under tail-coverts white ; bill orange-red at 

 the base, and dark olive-green for the remainder of its length; 

 feet dark olive- green. 



Total length 7 inches; bill J ; wing 3f ; tail If; tarsi 1. 



Sp. .574. PORZANA PALUSTRIS, Gould. 



Little Water Crake. 

 Porzana palustris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part x. p. 139. 



Porzana palustris, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. vi. pi. 80. 



This little Water Crake would appear to be more abundant 

 in Tasmania than on the continent of Australia, for although 

 I clearly ascertained that it inhabits New South Wales, it is 

 not so numerous there, in consequence, probably, of the 

 country being much less fluviatile, and therefore much less 

 suitable to its habits ; for, like the Porzana jimninea, the 

 present bird finds a natural abode in morasses covered with 

 reeds and luxuriant herbage, to the more dense parts of which 

 it is exclusively confined. Like all the other members of the 

 genus, the present species swims with great facility, and dis- 

 plays the same power of diving, to which it equally resorts in 

 time of need, and thus often successfully eludes the attack of 

 its natural enemies ; in addition, few birds are more agile or 



