CREX.] AVES GRALLATORES. 217 



individual was killed by Mr Bullock in the Isle of Unst, about three 

 miles from the northern extremity of Britain, on the 16th of August 

 1812. More recently (May 1827) a pair are recorded to have been shot 

 on the Breydon-wall, Yarmouth*. Said to frequent the banks of 

 rivers, lakes, inland seas, and extensive marshes. Builds in the reeds 

 and other thick herbage growing in such situations. Lays three or 

 four eggs. Flight extremely rapid. Food, principally insects, which 

 are taken on the wing. 



GEN. 83. RALLUS, Linn. 



215. R. aquations. Linn. (Water-Rail.) Above, 

 olive-brown spotted with dusky ; beneath, bluish gray ; 

 flanks with black and white bars. 



R. aquaticus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 683. Rail, Mont. Orn. 

 Diet. $ Supp. Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 172. pi. 29. Water-Rail, 

 Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 126. 



DIMENS. Entire length eleven inches five lines: length of the bill 

 (from the forehead) one inch seven lines, (from the gape) one inch eight 

 lines and a half; of the tarsus one inch eight lines ; of the naked part 

 of the tibia six lines ; of the middle toe, claw included, two inches ; of the 

 tail two inches three lines ; from the carpus to the end of the wing four 

 inches eight lines : breadth, wings extended, sixteen inches. 



DESCRIPT. Crown of the head, and all the upper parts, olive-brown, 

 with a dusky spot in the middle of each feather : chin whitish ; sides of 

 the head, sides and fore part of the neck, breast and belly, deep ash or 

 lead-gray ; flanks with alternate transverse bars of black and white ; 

 under tail-coverts white : quills dusky brown : tail blackish ; the feathers 

 edged with olive-brown: bill red; the culmen, and tips of both mandibles, 

 brown : irides red : legs and toes brownish flesh colour. A white variety 

 is said to have occurred not long since in Berkshire t. (Egg.) Buffy white; 

 the larger end speckled with ash-gray and orange-brown: long. diam. one 

 inch four lines ; trans, diain. one inch. 



Not uncommon in most parts of the country, frequenting marshes, 

 streams, and the banks of rivers. Remains with us the whole year. 

 Nest placed amongst rushes and other aquatic herbage. Eggs six to 

 ten in number. Food, insects, and molluscous animals ; also vegetables. 



GEN. 84. CREX, Bechst. 



216. C. pratensis, Bechst. (Corn-Crake.) Above, 

 rufous brown, the centres of the feathers dusky ; beneath, 

 yellowish white : wing-coverts ferruginous. 



Gallinula Crex, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 686. Crake Galli- 

 nule, Mont. Orn. Diet. Land-Rail or Corn-Crake, Bew. Brit. 

 Birds, vol. n. p. 130. Meadow or Corn-Crake, Selb. Illust. vol. n. 

 p. 176. pi. 30. 



DIMENS. Entire length ten inches : length of the bill (from the fore- 

 head) nine lines and a half, (from the gape) one inch one line ; of the 

 tarsus one inch five lines and a half; of the tail two inches and half 

 a line ; from the carpus to the end of the wing five inches four lines. 



* Paget's Nat. Hist. ofYarm. p. 10. t Loudon's Mag. of Nat. Hist. vol. v. p. 384. 



