224 ELWES'S CRAKE. 



and Godwin-Austen says that two live birds captured near 



Shillong, which he kept in confinement, eat earth-worms 

 greedily. 



He further says: — 



" Two specimens were brought to me alive by a Khasia 

 with one egg, which he said was that of this bird. It measures 

 I "4" in major diameter, ro" in minor diameter, is of a creamy 

 white colour, unspotted on the smaller end, distantly so on 

 the lower two-thirds, closely on the larger end, the spots all pale 

 grey, with light and dark shades of sepia." 



Our dimensions for this species are taken, I regret to say, 

 only from skins. 



Length, 8'0 to 9*0 ; wing, 4*3 to 47 ; tail from vent, 2*25 to 

 2*6; tarsus, 1*5 to v6 ; bill from gape, ro to 1*2. Captain 

 Elwes recorded the bill as greenish, the legs as vinous 

 brown. 



Major Godwin-Austen says : — " Bill glaucous green, with a 

 slight tinge of red near the base, and tipped grey ; irides crimson, 

 orbits" (? orbital ring ?) " red ; legs pale dullish vermilion." 



A specimen of ours is labelled: — "Bill, upper mandible 

 brown, lower yellowish green ; legs and feet olive brown." 



I expect that Major God win- Austen's version is the cor- 

 rect one. 



The PLATE approximately represents the colours of the 

 plumage ; au reste^ the less said about it the better. 



