BAILLON'S CKAKE. 



CREX BAILLONI (VieilL). 



Rallus bailloni, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxviii. 



p. 548 (1819). 

 Crex pygmsea, Naam. ix. p. 567. 

 Crex baillonii, Macg. iv. p. 539; Hewitson, ii. p. 377. 

 Porzana bailloni, Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 154; Dresser, vii. p. 275. 



Poule d'eau Baillon, French ; Ziverg-Sumpfhuhn, German ; 

 PoUuela chica, Spanish. 



This is a rare and irregular visitor to our country, 

 but has been known to breed on more than one occa- 

 sion in our eastern counties, and it was within my 

 recollection by no means uncommon in many parts of 

 the Netherlands. I have met with Baillon's Crake in 

 the great marshes of Eastern Sicily, where it is common 

 and breeds, and I also obtained it in Cyprus j but my 

 principal acquaintance with this species was formed in 

 the marshes of the lower Guadalquivir, where we found 

 it breeding in great abundance in May 18S3. In 

 general habits this Crake much resembles the better 

 known Spotted Crake ; but it is decidedly more aquatic 

 and less often to be met with in open marsh-lands than 



