176 BALLID^E 



Voice. The note has been described as Jcek, Jcek, kek. 

 The nestling utters a low piping cry (Saunders). 



Food. The food, like that of the preceding species, con- 

 sists largely of aquatic insects and plants, together with 

 small worms and slugs. 



Nest. The nest, large for the size of the owner, is built 

 amid the shelter of reeds and sedges and such like marshy 

 vegetation. The eggs resemble those of the Little Crake, 

 but the ground-colour and other markings are darker. 



Fm. 21. HEAD OF BAILLON'S CRAKE. Nat. size. 



The only counties in the British Isles where this 

 bird has been found nesting appear to be Norfolk and 

 Cambridgeshire. In the latter, two nests with eggs, 

 said to belong to this species, were discovered in June and 

 August, 1858 (' Zoologist,' 1859). Two more were taken in 

 the former county in June and July, 1866 (' Zoologist/ 1866). 

 This bird has probably nested in other counties and escaped 

 observation. 



Geographical distribution. Abroad, it breeds at no great 

 distance from our Isles, viz., in Holland and North-west 

 France, so that, as indicated by Mr. Saunders, if it nested 

 occasionally with us, the fact should not cause great sur- 

 prise. It also breeds in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, 

 and other countries in Central, Southern and South-eastern 

 Europe, as well as in Western Asia and on the greater part 

 of the African Continent as far as lat. 30 S. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Top of head, back of 

 neck, back, and wings, nut-brown, spotted with black and 

 white ; cheeks, throat, breast, and abdomen, slate-grey ; 

 flanks and under tail-coverts, strongly barred with black and 



