NOTES. 407 



Corncrake (Rallus crex), namely that thousands have heard 

 it well, but scarcely one has properly seen it. The above is 

 ■ the reason why this species is not found in the numerous 

 European collections of birds, or has not before been noticed. 

 However, one of Provost Brando's slaves, after many vain 

 attempts, succeeded in shooting this specimen, cue day at sunrise. 

 The remains in its intestines shewed that' it lived upon grains 

 of rice and various insects. 

 "The species can be determined as follows : — 

 " Rallus paykuUii supra totus fusco-olivaceus, immaculatus 

 fronte, lateribus colli pectorique ferrugineis ; abdomine crisso 

 alisque subtus albo-nigroque fasciatis. 



" And further it may be described thus :— 

 ^' Hallo porzana paullo major. Rostrum pedesque fusci uti 

 etjam apices alarum subtus. Remiges olivacei margine inte- 

 riore tribus vel quatuor maculis transversis albis. ''Rectrices 

 breves olivaceae imraaculatas. Femora semiauda. Fascias 

 transversas majores albas abdominis interjacent alise lineee par- 

 vul« albae et alse ante apicem albo-macuIata3 fasciis absoletis. 



" The figure is executed by a masterly hand from Nature and 

 of the natural size. The bird, stuffed by myself, has been o-ivea 

 by me to the rich Paykull bird collection, after whose owner, 

 so zealous and learned in Natural History iu general, and in 

 Ornithology in particular, the Cauzlie-Rad'[Chancery Councillor! 

 and [p. 260] Knight of the Royal Order of the North Star, 

 Herr Gustaf Paykull, I as a due mark of gratitude take the 

 liberty of naming this rare bird. 



" In connexion herewith, I have the honor to state that Rallus 

 porzana, Gmel., Syst. Nat. Linn. 1, 3, p. 712, No. 3 [here follow 

 some references to older wri ters] which by Herr Thuaberg in 

 the Royal Academy's Handlingar fMemoirsJ for 1798, p. 182 

 No. 5, and by Herr Retzius in his Fauna Succica, Part I 

 p. 202, No. 177, is named as Swedish, is found on low meadows 

 around Jonkoping, and is called there the Grasknarr [Grass- 

 CrakeJ and has a note like Tjdrrk, Tjdrrk, which it is continu- 

 ally crying throughout the night. > 



[A Latin description of JR. porzana follows.] 

 "Tab. V. represents the above diBscvihediR. paykuUii (uncolored.)" 



It is very desirable, I think, that some one in Europe should 

 now carefully work out the Geese. Considerable confusion 

 seems to exist in regard to the number and names of the 

 species, and our latest and best authority, Mr. Dresser, has by 

 no means entirely cleared up the matter. 



53 



