338 BIRDS OF S0UTH AFRICA. 



Genus ORTYGOMETRA, Linnaeus. 

 Bill shorter than the head, and more or less strong, with 

 the culmen keeled, slightly curved, and the sides compressed 

 to the tip, which is slightly emarginated ; the gonys short 

 and ascending ; the nostrils lateral, and placed in a mem- 

 branous groove, with the opening exposed, linear, and near 

 the middle ; wings moderate, with the second and third quills 

 equal and longest ; tail short and graduated ; tarsi rather 

 robust ; toes more or less long and slender, with the inner toe 

 rather shorter than the outer ; the hind toe very slender, and 

 rather short ; the claws moderate, compressed, and acute. 



632. Ortygometra Crex. (Gmei.) PL Eni. 750 ; 



Crex Pratensis, Bechst. ; Rallus Crex, Linn. ; Gal- 

 linula Crex, Lath. ; The Landrail, or Corn-Crake, 

 Bewick's Brit. Birds, p. 141. 



ALL the feathers on the upper parts of the plumage, dark- 

 brown, edged with pale-ferruginous ; wing-coverts and quills, 

 deep-chestnut ; fore parts of neck and breast, pale-cinereous ; 

 belly yellowish-white ; sides, thighs, and vent, rufous, marked 

 with white bars. Length, 9|" ; wing, 5J" ; tail, 1" 5'". 



The "Landrail" or "Corn-Crake" seems to be not uncommon in 

 Natal, where, according to Mr. Ayres (Ibis 1863, p. 331), they are 

 plentiful inland during the summer months. Only one single speci- 

 men, however, has occurred in the Cape Colony, and this was killed 

 on the Cape Flats, near Wynberg, by Mr. H. Dumbleton in 1864. 



633. Ortygometra Minuta. (Pallas.) Rallus 



Pusillus, Gmel. ; Rallus Parvus, Scop. ; Gallinula 

 Minuta, Mont. ; Gould's Birds of Eur., PI. 345 ; 

 Bewick's Brit. Birds, p. 145. 



UPPER parts brown, variegated on the back with black and 

 white ; chin whitish ; sides of the head, neck, and chest, light 

 slate-colour ; flanks, thighs, and belly, brown-black, crossed 

 with white bars ; hides red : according to Mr. Atinore, dark- 

 brown. Length, 7"; wing, 3J"; tail, 1". 



Common in a few favoured localities. At Swellendam I shot several 

 in one small vley near the Buffeljagts Elver. They are very difficult 

 to flush, and fly heavily when on the wing. A pointer will stand to 

 them as to snipe, and the bird often rises from under his nose. They 

 feed on mioute crustaceans, a little Succinea (S. Delalandi), which 

 abounds in its favourite haunts, water-weeds, and worms. 



Genus CORETHRURA, Reichenbach. 

 Bill shorter than the head, rather slender, and straight} 

 with the culmen rather elevated at the base, and curved 



