124 RALLID^E 



GRALLA TORES. RA LLIDM- 



PLATE CCX. 



OLIVACEOUS CRAKE. 



CREX PUSILLA. 



The Olivaceous Crake is a rare visitant in Great Britain, 

 more so than the preceding species. It seems to have ob- 

 tained the trivial name it bears in our cabinets, more from 

 the colouring of its beak and legs than from its plumage, 

 since the colouring of its feathers is less olivaceous than that 

 of the two former species. 



This Crake is the least numerous of all its family in this 

 country, it has been obtained in few instances, and apparently 

 does not like the climate ; in Holland it is also rare ; but 

 towards the south and eastern parts of the European con- 

 tinent it is more frequently met with, and in many parts by 

 no means uncommon ; for instance, in Turkey, Hungary, 

 Italy, and the south of France. The late arrival of this 

 bird in the spring of the year in Europe from the warmer 

 climates of Africa, induces us to class it among birds very 

 susceptible of cold ; before the middle of May it hardly ever 

 arrives, and returns again in August. 



We are not able to say whether this species inhabits 

 America, as we have no certain accounts of it ; neither have 

 we seen any specimens in cabinets that were obtained from 



