114 
GALLINULINiE. CREX. 
Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 766. — Gallinula Crex, Temm. Man. 
d’Ornith. ii. 686.-— Crex pratensis, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, 
iv. 
211. Crex Porzana. Spotted Crake. 
About a third less than the Crake Gallinule ; with the bill 
nine-twelfths in length, brownish-yellow, dull orange at the 
base ; the feet yellowish-green ; the upper parts olive-brown, 
.with oblong black spots, and numerous white specks margin- 
ed with black, those on the scapulars being linear and longi- 
tudinal, on the inner secondaries transverse ; a greyish-blue 
band dotted with white over the eye ; the fore part and sides 
of the neck greyish- olive, spotted with dull white ; the sides 
of the body olivaceous, barred with white and black, the axil- 
lars and lower wing-coverts white, barred with black, the 
lower tail-coverts pale buff. 
TVTftlp QJL 1 1 8 9 14 1 1 3 
*J 4 , 10 2 J 12> a TH 12* 
This species resides in marshes and by the grassy margins 
of streams and pools, searching among the herbage for its 
food, and betaking itself to the water on occasion. It runs 
and skulks like the other species, flies heavily, forms a bulky 
nest, often surrounded with water, and lays from seven to ! 
ten ovato-oblong eggs, an inch and a fourth in length, pale 
reddish-grey, spotted with umber or reddish-brown, and 
brownish -grey. In autumn, according to Mr Selby, its body 
becomes covered with a thick subcutaneous layer of fat, and 
its flesh is well flavoured. The young differ little from the I 
adult. 
Spotted Bail. Water Kail, or Water Hen. Skitty. 
Kalins Porzana, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 262 ; Gallinula Por- 
zana, Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 772.- — Gallinula Porzana, Temm. 
Man. d’Ornith. ii. 688. — Crex Porzana, Spotted Crake, Mac- 
Gillivray, Brit. Birds, iv. 
212. Crex Baillonii. Baillon’s Crake. 
Length, seven inches ; bill along the ridge eight-twelfths, 
dark green ; feet olivaceous ; upper parts olive-brown, with 
oblong black spots, and numerous elongated white markings i 
edged with black ; a band over the eyes, the cheeks, throat, 
fore part and sides of the neck, with the breast, bluish-grey ; 
the sides of the body and lower tail-coverts barred with black 
and white. The female similar, but with the tints paler. 
Young with the throat and £)art of the abdomen white, the 
