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BAILLON'S CRAKE. 



Crex Baittonn, JENYN8. 



Gullinula Saillonu, TEMMINCK. 



Zapornia Baillonn, STEPHENS. 



Ortygometra Bailionil, SHAW. 



Crex ? SailloniiOf Baillon. 



THE name of this species was assigned to it by Temminck, 

 in honour of M. Baillon, an eminent naturalist of Abbeville, 

 in Picardy. 



It is found in different parts of Germany, Italy, Hungary, 

 Greece, Switzerland, and Dalmatia, and is said to breed in 

 some of the northern provinces of "La belle France" along 

 the coast, and to be by no means uncommon in that district. 

 It belongs likewise to the continents of Asia and Africa, and 

 to the islands of the former, having been found, according 

 to M. Temminck, in Japan. 



In Cambridgeshire, one of these Crakes was caught at 

 Melbourne, in January, 1823; in Norfolk it has occurred, 

 but is very rare. A specimen was obtained near Deal, Kent, 

 the 19th. of September, 1850, by C. A. Delmar, Esq.; he 

 subsequently procured a second in the same locality, in the 

 latter part of October, 1851. 



In Ireland one was taken at Clay Castle, near Youghal, 

 in the county of Cork, on the 30th. of October, 1845. 



This bird appertains to low and marshy situations by the 

 sides of rivers, ditches, and water-courses. 



In this country specimens have been obtained in each of 

 the four quarters of the year, but few have been noticed, 

 owing to the shyness of their habits. 



The species soon becomes reconciled to confinement. 



It is capable of running with almost inconceivable dexterity 

 among the thickest of the coverts which it frequents. It 

 is raised from these with difficulty, and if compelled to get 



