196 A MANUAL OF THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
134. Eulabeornis castaneoventris—CHESTNUT-BELLIED RAIL. 
Gould, Vol. VI., pl. 78 (pt. xvu.), Dec. Ist, 1844. Mathews, Vol. I., pt. 4, pl. 48, Aug. 9th, 
1911. 
Eulabeornis castaneoventris Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.), 1844, p. 56, Sept.: Flinders 
River, Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland. 
Eulabeormis castaneoventris rogersi Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIIL., p. 193, Jan. 31st, 1912: 
Obagama, North-west Australia. 
Eulabeornis castaneoventris melwilli Mathews, Austral Av. Ree., Vol. I., pt. 2, p. 29, April 
2nd, 1912: Melville Island, Northern Territory. 
Sak 60 ete bs gare Queensland, Northern Territory, North-west Australia (Mangroves 
only). 
Adult male——General colour above olive, including the hind-neck, back, wings, 
and tail, with a tinge of rufous-brown on the rump; inner web of bastard-wing, 
primary- and secondary-quills chestnut-brown, as also the tail-feathers ; crown of 
the head, sides of the face, and throat ash-grey ; under-surface of body rich chestnut, 
deeper in colour on the under wing-coverts and under tail-coverts ; washed with 
grey on the fore-neck and chest; thighs ash-grey ; base of bill green, tip horn 
colour ; iris red; feet and legs olive-yellow. Total length 537 mm.; culmen 61, 
wing 212, tail 136, tarsus 70. 
Adult female—Differs from the adult male in having the upper hind-neck 
ash-grey like the head, instead of olive like the back. Total length 512 mm. ; 
culmen 56, wing 206, tail 130, tarsus 66. 
Immature but breeding male.—Has iris yellow, slightly mottled with brown. 
Nestling—Appears to be undescribed. 
Nest.—Placed on a low slanting mangrove, and built of sticks, with no lining. 
Placed from 3 to 7 feet from the ground. 
Eggs.— Clutch, four ; rather lengthened in form, of a pale pinky-white, igaeort 
all over with reddish-chestnut and lavender, the spots being thinly dispersed ; 
51.5-54 mm., diameter 36.5 mm. 
Breeding-season.—September to November. 
Distribution and forms.—Northern Australia and Aru Islands only. Four races 
have been distinguished: JZ. c. castaneoventris Gould from North Queensland ; 
E. c. rogersi Mathews from North-west Australia, a darker race; LH. c. melvilli 
Mathews from Melville Island, Northern Territory, still darker both above and 
below; and #.c. sharpei Rothschild from the Aru Islands, not darker above but a 
deeper red below. 
Genus CREX. 
Crex Bechstein, Ornith. Taschenb., Vol. II., p. 336, 1803. Type (by monotypy): Cre» 
pratensis Bechstein = Rallus crex Linné. 
Octogometra (recte Ortygometra, p. 59), Forster, Synopt. Cat. Brit. Birds, p. 27, Dec. 1817. 
Type (by monotypy): Rallus crex Linné. 
Sole species similar to members of the genus Porzana, but larger and of stouter 
build, with a short stout bill and short toes ; the bill at the base is more than half 
its length, and the culmen tapers to a point as it enters the fore-head, The culmen 
is shorter than the middle toe, which is shorter than the tarsus, while the base of 
the gonys forms a decided angle. Other characters as in Porzana. 
135. Crex crex.—LAND RAIL. 
[Rallus cree Linné, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., p. 153, Jan. Ist, 1758: Sweden, Europe. Extra~ 
limital.] 
Mathews, Vol. I., pt. 4, pl. 50, Aug. 9th, 1911. 
Rallus featherstonit Buller, Essay Ornith. New Zeal., p. 18, (pref. dated Feb. Ist) 1865: New 
Zealand. 
DistriBuTion.—Australia (visitor). One specimen preserved in Australian Museum, Sydney. 
