642 RALLID^E. 



The habits of this species is not unlike the other Rails, but as a rule it is 

 more shy and retiring, and when disturbed, runs with great speed on the lotus 

 leaves or other aquatic herbage, and conceals itself among the thickest of the 

 coverts it frequents. 



1329. Porzana maruetta (Linn.}, Jerd., B. Ind. Hi. p. 722, 



No. 906; Blyth, B. Burnt. \> 161 ; Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 267, pi. ; Hume, S/r. 

 F. viii. p. 113; Hume and Marsh., Game Birds ii. p. 2 13, pi. ; Murray, Vert. 

 Zool., Sind, p. 264. Rallus porzana, Linn., Syst. Nat. i. p. 262. Ortygo- 

 metra maruetta, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. H. B. Brit Mus. p. 34. The 

 SPOTTED CRAKE. 



Forehead ashy brown ; crown and nape dusky, streaked with ferruginous ; 

 superciliary streak extending behind the eye ashy grey, spotted with white ; 

 hind neck dusky, minutely freckled with black and white. Upper back and 

 scapulars dark brown, almost black, the feathers broadly margined and tipped 

 with ochreous olive, and usually the margins of one or both webs with linear 

 spots and streaks of white ; lower back and rump dusky brown, the feathers 

 narrowly barred with white ; wing coverts like the back, the outer margin of 

 both webs with two pairs of white black-edged spots ; tertiaries dark brown 

 on their outer webs, and with 67 narrow, oblique white bars ; their inner 

 webs rufescent brown ; primaries and secondaries pale hair brown, the outer 

 web of the first quill and bastard primary, also the edge of the wing, white ; 

 the margins of the outer webs of the other primaries tinged with pale rufescent; 

 auxiliaries dark brown with transverse white bars ; chin and throat greyish white ; 

 breast olive brown, the feathers barred with white; abdomen ashy white; 

 flanks olive brown, barred transversely with black and white ; tail rufescent 

 brown, mesially dark brown ; vent and under tail coverts rufescent white; bill 

 greenish yellow, orange at the base ; irides reddish brown ; legs bright yellow- 

 ish green. 



Length. 8*8 to 9 inches ; wing 4-5 to 4-8 ; tail 1-82 to 2 ; bill at front 0-75 

 to 0*9; tarsus 1*4; mid-toe and claw r6. 



Hab. Sind, Punjab, N.-W. Provinces and Oudh, the Himalayas, Bengal, 

 Rajputana, Guzerat, Kutch, Concan, Deccan and Mysore ; also Arabia, 

 Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan, and Eastern Turkestan. Occurs all over 

 Europe and North Africa. Affects the reedy swamps and feeds on aquatic 

 insects, larvae, snails and grass seeds. 



1330. Porzana fusca (Linn.), Jerd., B. Ind. iii. p. 724, No. 911 ; 

 Blyth, B. Burm. p. 161 ; Legge, B. Ceylon p. 769 ; Hume and Marsh., Game 

 Birds ii. p. 217 ; Oates, B. Br. Burm. ii. p. 346. Rallus fuscus, Linn , Syst. 

 Nat. i. p. 262. Rallina fusca, Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 604 ; Hume y 

 Str. F. viii. p. 1 13. The RUDDY CRAKE. 



Forehead as far back as the eyes, the sides of the head and neck, the fore- 

 neck, breast and upper abdomen rich ferruginous ; chin and throat whitish ; 



