THE WATER-RAIL. 97 



the sedges, reeds, and rushes, and lays six or seven 

 clay-brown or gray-brown eggs, spotted with dark 

 brown ; they are from seven to ten in number. A 

 sitting of eggs taken in Suffolk is in my possession. 



Ballon's Crake (G. Ballonii} is a very rare British 

 bird. It is the smallest of the European species, being 

 7 J inches long, and i8j inches in expanse of wings. It 

 is olive-brown on the head and yellowish on the neck. 

 The wings are nearly black, the feathers being margined 

 with olive ; the rump and tail olive-brown ; the chin, 

 throat, and sides of the neck ash. It is said to have 

 bred in Britain ; the eggs are a nearly uniform olive- 

 brown. 



The Little Crake (Grex pusilla) is rather a heavier 

 bird than " Ballon's ;" but although a summer visitor, 

 is too rare to be worthy of extended notice. 



The Water-Rail (Rallus aquaticus) is 10 inches long, 

 and 1 5 in expanse of wing. There is little difference 

 between the sexes in colour ; the bill, which is 

 reddish-yellow at the base, and dull colour at the 

 point, is paler in the female ; it is about an inch and a 

 half long. The iris is yellow-red, and the feet are 

 reddish-brown ; the toes are long. The upper part of 

 the bird is olive-brown ; the feathers are nearly black 

 in the centre ; the plumage of the lower part is 

 marked with black and white on the thighs and sides. 

 The wings are dusky, with some white marks. The 

 wing has a horny projection. The tail is short and 

 broad, brown and black above, with white underneath. 

 The nest is made of the leaves of water-plants, and 

 is placed among the thick bushes by the side of the 

 water. The eggs vary in number ; the female usually 

 H 



