

WATER RAIL. 113 



food would be frozen up. In our own country the greater 

 portion probably remain all the year ; in proof of which 

 it has been killed three times in winter in Scotland, and 

 several times in Sussex, Kent and Oxfordshire. 



The Water Rail is abundant in Holland, Germany, 

 France, Switzerland, Provence, Spain, and Italy. At 

 Genoa it is said to be seen only when on its passage 

 in April and September. It is found at Corfu and in 

 Sicily, it visits Malta in spring, and has been seen at 

 Tunis and Biserta. Mr. Strickland saw it at Smyrna ; 

 and M. Menetries includes it among the birds seen by the 

 naturalists of the Russian expedition in the country of 

 the Caucasus. 



The beak of the adult male is red, one inch and three- 

 quarters in length ; the irides hazel ; top of the head, neck, 

 back, wing-coverts, and upper surface of the body generally 

 olive-brown ; each feather nearly black in the centre, with 

 broad margins ; primaries dusky ; tail-feathers also dusky, 

 with olive-brown margins ; cheeks, chin, sides and front of 

 the neck, and the breast, lead-grey ; the sides and flanks 

 dark slate-grey barred with white ; vent buff colour ; under 

 tail- co verts dull white ; legs and toes brownish flesh 

 colour. The whole length eleven inches and a half. 

 From the carpal joint to the end of the wing four inches 

 and three-quarters. 



The sexes do not differ in plumage, but the beak of the 

 female is shorter than that of the male, and not so red. 



Young birds have the feathers of the neck and breast 

 edged with pale brown, forming transverse bars; the 

 flanks and thighs not so dark in colour, and without the 

 white bands. 



A variety of the Water Eail has been taken which was 

 pure white. 



VOL. III. I 



