246 RALLID^] CREX 



rounded, the secondaries almost as long as the primaries, the 

 second primary the longest, the first about equal to the fifth or 

 sixth ; tail very short, less than half the wing ; tarsus equal to the 

 middle toe and claw or rather longer ; toes quite free. 



Two species may be included in this genus, one the well-known 

 European Corn Crake, which is only a migrant to Africa, the other 

 a resident African species. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Under wing-coverts and axillaries chestnut ......... C. pratensis, p. 246. 



B. Under wing-coverts and axillaries barred with 



white ......................................................... C. egregia. p. 248. 



K^> 

 671. Crex pratensis. European Corn Crake. 



'Kallus crex, Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. i, p. 261 (1766). 



Crex pratensis; Beclist. Gem. Naturg. Deutsclil. ii, p. 461 (1803) ; 



Gurney, Ibis, 1863, p. 331 [Natal] ; Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 388 ; 



Ayres, Ibis, 1877, p. 351 ; Dresser, B. Eur. vii, p. 291, pi. 499 (1878) ; 



Gates, Matabeleland, p. 324 (1881) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 366 



[Palapye] ; Woodward Bros., Natal B. p. 168 (1899) ; Marshall, 



Ibis, 1900, p. 270 ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 444. 

 Ortygometra crex, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 338 (1867) ; id. Ibis, 1869, 



p. 377 ; Karratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 213. 

 Crex crex, Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 611 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. 



xxiii, p. 82 (1894) ; Eendall, Ibis, 1896, p. 175 ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, 



p. 176 (1896) ; Beiclienoiv, Vog. Afr. i, p. 277 (1900). 



Description. Adult. Above pale brown, with black centres to 

 the feathers, especially on the head, back and wing-coverts ; 

 primary coverts and quills rufous-brown, the outer edge of the first 

 primary being buify-white, secondaries like the back ; sides of the 

 face, eyebrows and body below ochraceous-brown ; chin, centre of 

 the breast and abdomen somewhat paler, flanks darker, almost 

 rufous, transversely barred with white ; axillaries and under wing- 

 coverts rufous. 



Iris hazel ; bill and legs pale brown. 



Length 9-75 ; wing 5-3 ; tail 2-0 ; tarsus 1-6 ; culmen -85. 



During the European summer (when the bird is not found in 

 South Africa) the eyebrows, sides of the face and breast are grey and 

 not ochraceous. The nestling is covered with black down. 



Distribution. The Corn Crake is found over the greater part of 

 Europe and Northern and Centra^ Asia, from the British Isles to 



