Plate XVI. 



PORZANA RUBRA. 



(RED CRAKE). 



Corethrura rubra 



Scl. et Salv. P.Z.S. I860, p. 300. 

 Scl. et Salv. Ibis, 1860, p. 277. 



Lsefce rufa, snbtus medialiter dilutior, gula, albicantiore : pileo toto et capitis lateribus saturate cinereis : reniigibus 

 et rectricibus cum uropygio obscure fusco-nigris : rostro nigro ; pedibus olivaceis : long, tota 6*0, alae 3*25, caudae 1*7, 

 rostri ab angulo oris - 8, tarsi 1'3. 



Sab, in Guatemala, prov. Verge Pacis, in terra calida (Salvin). 



This well-marked Crake, which is an inhabitant of the lowlands of Guatemala, may be 

 considered as the northern representative of Porzana cayennensis of South America. It is, 

 however, readily distinguishable from that species By the dark ash-colour of the crown, which 

 in P. cayennensis is rufous like the back. 



Mr. Salvin first encountered this species in its native state whilst collecting at Coban, in the 

 Province of Vera Paz, in November, 1859 ; though he had become previously acquainted with it, 

 from specimens transmitted to this country by Mr. Skinner. It was, however, found to be much 

 more abundant in the vicinity of Choctum during his subsequent visits to the lowlands of Vera 

 Paz, in company with Mr. F. Godman, in February, 1862 ; and our figure is taken from one of 

 the individuals obtained on this occasion, which is now in Messrs. Salvin and Godman's collection. 



In its habits Porzana rubra is a true marsh-crake, frequenting the grassy swamps and reedy 

 edges of the lagoons, which occur at intervals in the more open parts of the forests. Its flight 

 is very weak and slow, so much so that the Indian collectors, after forcing it to take wing not 

 without some difficulty, on more than one occasion succeeded in striking it down with the single 

 clay pellet discharged from their sebaratanas, or blow-guns. 



The Crakes have been divided up into so many small (so-called) genera, without any 

 characters being assigned to these, and there is so much confusion as regards the priority of their 

 names, that we have for the present, at least, felt ourselves compelled to revert to Vieillot's term, 

 Porzana* as a generic name for the whole of them. The present species belongs to a group 

 distinguishable by a nearly uniform coloration, generally more or less rufous, and the entire 

 absence of spots and stripes, to which Bonaparte has applied the name Rufirallus.} 



* Vieillot's Analyse, p. 61, (1816).— Type Ballus porzana, Jjmn.=JPorzana maruetta, (Leach), 

 f Compt. Eend. xliii. p. 599, (1856).— Type Ballus cayennensis, Gm. 



January, 1867. 



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