LITTLE & BAILLON'S CRAKES WATER RAIL. 103 



white. Bill yellowish. Legs and feet yellowish green. Length 

 9 in. Female rather smaller and duller. Young, throat white 

 and spottings less distinct. Nestling covered with lustrous 

 greenish black down. 



Language. A loud "kweet*" or "whuit." 



Habits. Generally much like the last, being most secretive 

 and loth to fly unless positively obliged. The nest is frequently 

 so placed that the parents must swim to it. 



Food. Much like the last. 



Nest. May or June. One brood. 



Site. On boggy ground, in reed-bed or tuft of rushes. 



Materials. Sedges, flags, and the like ; lined with fine grass. 



Eggs. Eight to ten. Olive-buff, spotted and speckled with 

 dark reddish brown, and ash-grey under-markings. 



LITTLE CBAKE (Porzana parva). 



A rare visitor, chiefly to the East coast, in spring and 

 autumn. Several examples have been reported from time to 

 time in various counties, but it has not been recorded as 

 found breeding. Although called "Little," it is rather larger 

 than the next species. Generally the plumage is olive-brown 

 above (hence its other name, Olivaceous Gallinule) and slate- 

 grey below. In habits it resembles the other members of this 

 family. Its note is a loud " kik " two or three times repeated. 



BAILLON'S CBAKE (Porzana bailloni). 



A rare visitor, usually in spring and autumn, and has been 

 observed in several counties from time to time ; it has also been 

 found breeding. It is the smallest of our Crakes, the plumage 

 generally being warm brown, flecked with black and white 

 above and slate-grey below. Its language and habits are much 

 like the last. 



WATER BAIL (Rallus aquaticus). 



Partially migrant, but many remain throughout the year in 

 suitable localities. Generally distributed, though local and 

 rather uncommon, 



Haunts. Fens, marshes, rivers, &c. 



Observation. Distinguish from Land Bail by longer bill, 

 greyer under parts, and dark flanks well barred with white. 



Plumage. Upper parts olive-brown, with black streaks to 

 centre of feathers. Cheeks, neck, and breast dull grey. 

 Flanks blackish, distinctly barred with white. Bill red, and 

 longer than in other Crakes. Legs and feet brownish flesh - 

 colour. Length 10^ in, Female duller, and sometimes barred 

 with white on the wing. Young, more olivaceous above than 



