34 BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



Family RALLID^E. 



BAILLON'S CRAKE. 



Porzana bailloni, VlEILL. 



BAILLON'S Crake, so named by Vieillot after its first observer, is but 

 a rare visitor to England, although it has been obtained in every month 

 of the year ; it has also been captured in Scotland and in Ireland. On the 

 Continent it is found in central and southern Europe, but does not extend 

 to the northern regions. In Africa it is found in all favourable localities 

 down to the Cape Colony, where it breeds freely in the marshy districts, and 

 in Asia it extends to the far east. 



From the rarity of this bird in this country, and its extreme shyness, but 

 little is known regarding its habits in England. The description given by 

 Lord Lilford, who was fully acquainted with the species as it exists in the 

 marshes of eastern Sicily and in Spain, where it is common, may be quoted 

 with advantage. Lord Lilford writes : 



" My principal acquaintance with this species was formed in the marshes 

 of the lower Guadalquivir, where we found it breeding in great abundance in 

 May. In general habits this Crake much resembles the better known Spotted 

 Crake ; but it is decidedly more aquatic and less often to be met in open 

 marsh-lands than that bird. The nests that we found were always well 

 concealed amongst the dense masses of reeds and sedge that fringe and often 

 conceal the runs of fresh water that meander through the vast open ' marisma,' 

 a district that in rainy seasons or very high tides is frequently entirely 

 submerged. The nests that I examined were exact minature copies of those 

 of the common Water-hen, being loosely composed of reed leaves, flags, and 

 sedge. The usual full complement of eggs was seven ; but we occasionally 

 met with five or six, partially ' set,' and, in one instance, with eight. These 

 eggs vary in colour from a very pale green to a dark olive ground, but are 

 always very closely streaked and spotted with brown. The young birds on 

 leaving the egg are entirely clad with thick jet-black down. Towards evening 

 these birds come out for a short distance from the thick covert that they 

 love so well, and, as far as I could make out, feed largely upon mosquitoes 



