LITTLE RED-EYED CRAKE. 375 



LITTLE RED-EYED CRAKE.* 



Ortygometra Jamaicensis. 



RaUus Jamaicensis^ Gmel. — Aud. pi. 349. 



Ortygometra Jamaicensis, Steph. 



A SPECIMEN of this little Crake was brought 

 to me in April, alive and unhurt. It lived in a cage 

 two days, but though I enclosed with it a vessel 

 containing water and mud, with aquatic weeds 

 in a growing state, and scattered on it crumbs 

 of bread and pounded corn, it scarcely ate. Once 

 or twice I observed it picking in the mud, but in 

 general it would not even walk on it. Yet it was 

 not at all timid. Its motions were very deliberate ; 

 slowly raising its large feet, and then setting them 

 down, often without making a step. The neck 

 was usually drawn in, short ; and then it had 

 little of the appearance of a Rail, but rather of 

 a passerine bird ; but when it walked, the neck 

 was more or less extended horizontally, and now 

 and then bridled up : the head was carried low. 

 The throat was often in slight vibration, when 

 standing still. I observed no flirting, nor erection 

 of the tail. 



On two or three occasions, I have seen the species. 

 Near the end of August, pursuing a White Gaulin 



* Length 6 inches, expanse 9|, flexure 3, tail ly^, rictus -j^, tarsus 

 1^ (nearl}-), middle toe l^L. Intestine 12^ inches; two caeca, slender, 

 one 4 inch, the other ^ inch, long. 



