THE LAND-RAIL. 



827 



Genus CREX Bechst. 



Crex Bechstein, Orn. Taschenb. Deutschl. 

 Crex pratensis Bechst. =Fallus crex L.). 



ii, p. 33G (1803— Monotype : 



Differs from other European Rails in its high strong bill. 

 Wing rather pointed for a Rail, 1st primary equalling 5th or 6th, 

 2nd longest. Tarsus about as long as middle toe with claw, or little 

 longer. Quills cinnamon-red. More usual on dry ground, less in 

 swampy places. Only one species. 



CREX CREX 



477. Crex crex (L.)— THE LAND-RAIL. 



Raixus Crex Linnseus, Syst, Nat. ed. x, i, p. 153 (1758 — Europe. 



Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Crex pratensis Bechstein, Yarrell, in, p. 137 ; Saunders,, p. 507. 



Description. — Adult male. Winter.— Feathers of whole upper- 

 parts with large black centres and yellowish -brown fringes, which 

 are more or less tinged grey ; stripe over eye and extending along 

 sides of nape and usually small stripe under ear-coverts grey-blue ; 

 lores, ear-coverts and sides of neck buff-brown ; chin and upper- 

 throat dull white ; rest of throat and breast brown-buff, tinged 

 varying amount of blue-grey ; lower-breast and belly huffish-white ; 



The Land-Rail (Ores. 



•ex). Head of adult, summer. Wing in moult to show all 

 feathers growing simultaneously. 



sides, flanks and under tail-coverts chestnut-brown, feathers tipped 

 and barred to varying extent dull white ; axillaries and under wing- 

 coverts pinkish-chestnut, those round edge of wing white ; tail as 

 upper-parts ; primaries and secondaries with outer webs and tips 

 chestnut-brown and inner webs brown, outer web of outer primary 

 huffish-white, innermost elongated secondaries as well as innermost 

 greater and median wing-coverts as upper-parts ; primary-coverts 

 dark brown tinged chestnut ; rest of wing-coverts brownish-chestnut, 



