252 THE BIRDS OF RIVER AND VLEI 



pale brown. The addled eggs had a slightly greenish tinge, 

 and were somewhat blotched, probably owing to the action 

 of the mud and water. The nest was lined with a few of 

 the feathers of the Ducks themselves. 



All the Ducks seem to be very irregular in their breeding 

 habits, so far as season is concerned, and the probable 

 explanation of it is that they are double-brooded. Take 

 the White-backed Duck as an example : A. D. MiUar found 

 nests in November, December and February, while the 

 clutch photographed was found on April 21, 1899. 



BAILS AND CRAKES 



The Eails and Crakes are birds of retiring habits, haunting 

 the reed-beds and thickets in marshy localities, and are 

 consequently but seldom seen and little known. 



The Kaffir Eail (Ballus ccerulescens) is dark brown above, 

 merging into slatey-blackish on the crown : throat white ; 

 rest of under-surface slatey-blue, merging into black on the 

 abdomen, thighs and flanks, the last three being barred with 

 white. Length, lOJ inches. Bill and feet bright red. 



There are two true Crakes in South Africa, the European 

 species {Grex pratensis) and the African (C egregia). Above 

 brownish with blackish centres to the feathers ; below 

 brownish in the former and slatey in the latter on the breast, 

 and the lower portions rufous banded with white in pratensis, 

 while egregia has transverse bands of black and white. The 

 European bird measures 9| inches to the South African 

 bird's 7| inches. 



There are two species of Spotted Crakes {Ortygometra), 

 for which we must refer the reader to larger books. 



