baillon's cbake. 
GRALLATORES. 
/ i 
RALLID.E. 
BAILLON'S CRAKE. 
Cbex Baillonii. 
PLATE CYI. PIG. I. 
This species, which is a rare visitant, has not been 
known to breed in this country; it is not uncommon on 
various parts of the Continent, and according to Mr. Selby 
breeds annually in the marshes in the neighbourhood of 
Boulogne. Mr. Hoy took the eggs, from one of which the 
figure in the former edition of this work was copied, in 
1835, near the river Meuse, in the north-eastern part of 
Belgium, but was unable to meet with them in the same 
locality the following year The nest, he told me, is ex¬ 
tremely difficult to find; it is placed, like that of the 
water-hen, upon tufts of reeds on the banks of rivers, or 
by the margin of ponds, and marshy districts: it is of 
sedge and water-growing plants, and contains from eight 
to ten eggs, which are strangely different, in every res¬ 
pect, from those of the nearly allied species. All the 
specimens which I have seen—and I have met with 
them in several of the German museums—are constant 
to the same regular oval form. The egg now figured is 
greener than is usual; it is from the collection of Mr. 
Newton, and was received by him together with the 
bird from Holland. 
