48 SPOTTED CRAKE.
and other white spots surrounded by a line of black. Primaries,
very dark dusky brown, tinted with olive green, with the outer web
of the first feather white; tertiaries, long, transversely streaked with
narrow white lines surrounded by a broad shade of black. Tail, black
in the middle of the feathers, their edges brown, and spotted with
white; it is rather rounded at the end, the centre feathers being the
longest; upper tail coverts, black in the middle, margined with pale
greenish olive and brown, and spotted with white; under tail coverts,
grey, or pale buff white. Legs and toes, which are long, olive yellow;
claws, brown.
The female is like the male. Head on the sides, reddish, spotted
with brown.
The young on their first appearance are entirely covered with black
down; the bill red at the tip and the base, the middle part black;
afterwards they have the bill greener, and tinged with dusky, the tip
brown; the eyebrows deep grey with numerous white specks; head
on the sides, chin, and throat, greyish white, with a few darker specks;
the upper parts more greenish with fewer white spots, and more
rounded; the breast below, more white, the quills deep brown; the
legs greener in colour, and tinged with dusky grey.