RALLIDJE. 443 



Yarrell describes the present species as follows : 

 In the adult male " the beak is green, the base red ; 

 irides red; top of the head and back of the neck 

 clove-brown ; centre of the back and scapulars black, 

 with numerous spots and streaks of pure white; 

 wing-coverts and tertials clove-brown, spotted and 

 streaked with pure white ; primaries dark brown, the 

 outer web of the first quill-feather edged with white ; 

 upper tail -coverts and tail-feathers clove -brown; 

 throat, cheeks, sides and front of neck, breast and 

 belly uniform lead-grey ; vent arid under tail-coverts 

 the same, but tipped with white; legs and toes 

 flesh-colour. The female has both mandibles green 

 at the point, pale reddish brown at the base ; irides 

 crimson-red ; neither the black colour on the centre 

 of the back or on the scapulars or the white spots 

 upon the back are so pure in colour as the same 

 parts in the male, nor are the white spots so 

 numerous ; the chin white ; legs, toes and claws in 

 the preserved specimen pale brown ; all the other 

 parts as in the adult male." Yarrell also describes 

 the young of the year before their first moult as 

 having the neck, breast and under parts pale huffy 

 white, mixed with light brown. 



According to Meyer's plate, the egg is pale reddish 

 brown, speckled all over with small dusky specks. 



WATER KAIL, Rallus aquations. The Water Kail, 

 or " Skitty," as it is often locally called, is resident 

 and by no means uncommon in our county, although, 



