COTUENICOPS 257 



well and carries its tail erect. Andersson states that it breeds- in 

 Damaraland, but gives no particulars. An egg taken by Atmore 

 from the oviduct of a female is stated by Layard to be pure white 

 and to measure 1-1 x -85. 



Genus V. COTURNICOPS. 



Type. 

 Coturnicops, Bp. Consp. Syst. Ornith. p. 46 



(1856) C. noveboracensis. 



Bill short and stout, culmen less than the inner toe ; no frontal 

 shield ; wings short and rounded, difference between the primaries 

 and secondaries less than the length of the culmen or hind toe ; 

 outer secondaries white ; tail-feathers normal, not decomposed ; 

 tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw ; toes not webbed. 



This genus contains only four species ; they are found respec- 

 tively in North America, Brazil, North China and Japan, and South- 

 eastern Africa. 



678. Coturnicops ayresi. White-winged Crake. 



Coturnicops ayresi, Gurney, Ibis, 1877, p. 852, pi. vii ; Sharpe, ed. 



Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 616 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 177 (1896) ; 



Beiclienow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 286 (1900). 

 Ortygops ayresi, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxiii, p. 129 (1894). 



Description. Adult female. Crown and neck all round rufous, 

 streaked with black, especially toward the centre of the crown ; back 

 black with a few white spots and brown and white edgings to the 

 feathers ; primary coverts and quills pale brown unspotted ; outer 

 secondaries white, inner ones like the back ; tail-coverts and tail 



FIG. 81. Head of Coturnicops ayresi. x ^ 



rich rufous barred with black, sides of the face and cheeks dusky, 



with darker bars ; below chin white, breast rufous brown, paler on 



the sides ; flanks black, spotted with white ; under wing-'coverts 



17 v VOL. iv. 



