610 
ORDER GERANOMORPHE. 
Family RALLIDZ. 
585. RaLLus cmruLescens, Gm. Caffre Rail. 
This Rail has reached us from several different places in the 
colony ; but it seems to be nowhere plentiful. Mr. Cairncross 
has sent it from Swellendam; Mr. Jackson from Nel’s Poort; Mr. 
Arnot from Colesberg. Mr. Rickard states that it is found near 
Port Elizabeth, and is not uncommon in the Swartkops, while 
Captain Trevelyan tells us it is by no means rare near Kingwilliams- 
town. In the Transvaal Mr. F. A. Barratt observes that it is 
considerably abundant, and he has shot them as they flew among 
the rushes and reeds bordering the Mooi River. Mr. Ayres 
writes :— This is the commonest Rail we have in the Transvaal 
and a most noisy little fellow, making wonderfully loud and startling 
cries for its size. Stomach of one sent contained legs of a crab.” 
Mr. Andersson’s work on the Birds of Damara Land contains the 
following note :—‘‘I found this Rail plentiful at Omanbondé ; and it 
is not uncommon in marshy localities in Damara Land and the parts 
adjacent, more especially in the central and northern portions of the 
country ; it frequents reedy thickets bordered by other rank aquatic 
herbage, amongst which it searches for the insects, worms, and seeds 
of water-plants which constitute its food. It runs with great swift- 
ness, but does not refuse to take wing when pursued.” Senor 
Anchieta has met with it at Caconda in Benguela, where it is called 
by the natives Xitenguetenque. 
Upper parts of head, neck, and body, reddish-brown; the chin, 
fore-part of neck and breast, pale slate-colour; the flanks trans- 
versely striped with black and white. Length, 10”; wing, 43”; tail,1”. 
586. Rattus aquaticus, LD. European Rail. 
Mr. Gurney has recorded the occurrence of this Kuropean species 
