114 GALLINULIN^E. CREX. 



Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 766. Gallinula Crex, Temm. Man. 

 d'Ornith. ii. 686. Crex pratensis, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, 



211. CREX PORZANA. SPOTTED CRAKE. 



About a third less than the Crake Gallinule ; with the bill 

 nine-twelfths in length, brownish-yellow, dull orange at the 

 base; -the feet yellowish-green ; the upper parts olive-brown, 

 with oblong black spots, and numerous white specks margin- 

 ed with black, those on the scapulars being linear and longi- 

 tudinal, on the inner secondaries transverse ; a greyish-blue 

 band dotted with white over the eye ; the fore part and sides 

 of the neck greyish-olive, spotted with dull white ; the sides 

 of the body olivaceous, barred with white and black, the axil- 

 lars and lower wing- coverts white, barred with black, the 

 lower tail-coverts pale buff. 



Male, 9J,_15J, 4^, , 1 T \, 1J, T v 



This species resides in marshes and by the grassy margins 

 of streams and pools, searching among the herbage for its 

 food, and betaking itself to the water on occasion. It runs 

 and skulks like the other species, flies heavily, forms a bulky 

 nest, often surrounded with water, and lays from seven to 

 ten ovato-oblong eggs, an inch and a fourth in length, pale 

 reddish-grey, spotted with umber or reddish-brown, and 

 brownish-grey. In autumn, according to Mr Selby, its body 

 becomes covered with a thick subcutaneous layer of fat, and 

 its flesh is well flavoured. The young differ little from the 

 adult. 



Spotted Rail. Water Kail, or Water Hen. Skitty. 



Kallus Porzana, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 262 ; Gallinula Por- 

 zana, Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 772. Gallinula Porzana, Temm. 

 Man. d'Ornith. ii. 688. Crex Porzana, Spotted Crake, Mac- 

 Gillivray, Brit. Birds, iv. 



212. CREX BAILLONII. BAILLON'S CRAKE. 



Length, seven inches ; bill along the ridge eight-twelfths, 

 dark green ; feet olivaceous ; upper parts olive-brown, with 

 oblong black spots, and numerous elongated white markings 

 edged with black ; a band over the eyes, the cheeks, throat, 

 fore part and sides of the neck, with the breast, bluish-grey ; 

 the sides of the body and lower tail-coverts barred with black 

 and white. The female similar, but with the tints paler. 

 Young with the throat and part of the abdomen white, the 



