frequenting the sides of streams and lakes which are
covered with thick reeds or rushes, among which it conceals
itself, and from the security afforded by the dense and
luxuriant vegetation of marshy grounds birds are seldom
moved without the assistance of a good dog, accustomed to
them and their haunts.* In ditches arched over by a
tangled growth of brambles, the Editor has seen them climb
and flutter up into the branches, and only take wing when
pressed by the dog from below, and fairly thrashed out from
above. In all these Rails the bodies of the birds are
compressed, by which they are enabled to make their way
through dense herbage with facility; their toes are also long
in proportion to the size of the bird, affording them-a firm
footing over mud or weeds, from the extent of surface they
cover, and enabling them also to swim with ease.
The Spotted Crake breeds in marshes that are overgrown
with reeds and sedges; the '-fieilt; built On the1 wet' ground,
very frequently in a tussock Surrounded by water, is formed
of coarse aquatic plants, lined with finer materials within.
Eight or ten eggs- are deposited, -of an ochreous groundcolour,
spotted and speckled with dark reddish-brown; they
measure about l*'8_by '9 in. t. The young, which are at first
covered with lustrous greenish-black down, take to the water
very soon after they are hatched^ Ifi the autumn this bird
is considered to be in the best condition for the table, and,
as an article of food, is in great estimation, particularly in
France, where it is considered equal to the* Land Rail.
The call-note of this secies is a peculiar whtiit, whuit,
generally uttered ||g the evening. Its food consists of
^Otrns, aquatic insects, and slugs-;- watfe-so-mb soft vegetable
substances. Ohe bird, kept bys Montagu in confinement, fed
oh worms, and broad and milk.
In the male,'-the* beak is yellowish-brown, tinged with
reddish-yellow at the base; the irides hazel-brown; 'top Iff
the head hazel-brown, mottled with s black in the centre;
* In the snath of Europe .this and the other small Rails are familiarly known
by the names of Tue-ehien, Mata-perros, Cansa-perros, &c., owing to the employment
they give to the best of dogs.
s la te -c o lo u r above the eyes; cheeks, sides and back of the
neck olive-brown, spotted with white; back, dark olive-
brown, each feather black in the centre, and streaked longitudinally
with some narrow lines of white; rump, upper
tail-coverts, and tail-feathers black in the middle, margined
with clove-brown, and -spotted with white; -wkig-coverts
olive-brown, -spotted ;With white; quill-feathers dark brown,
with a white .streak to *thp outer web of the first, and faint
white mottlings oh-that of the second; ,tertials -transversely -
streaked with narrow .lines of white; chin, slate-brown;
neck and 'breast ,duH‘brown, spotted with white; belly $nd
vent dirty white;- under Jail-coverts buff; sides, flanks,
and under wing-coverts, greyish-brown, barred with white,
legs and toes -yellowish-green ; the claws .brown.
The female is slightly smaller, -jand duller in colour. The
young have the sides of the head, the throat; and the abdom
en much marked with white, and ..the.spots are smaller and
less defined, on a generally duller' ground. The whole
length of -an adult bird is about nine inches. -From the
carpal joint . f jU e -end of th e ; longest quill-feather four
inches and a half.
A variety in -the .Collection of the late M. Hardy,^Dieppe,
had # e front portion of the neck suffused with a bright
rose-colour.
A specimen of the Carolina Crake {Porzana. Carolina),
shot by Mr. H. S.-Eyre^i# October, 1864, ^on-the banks-of
tfi&Kennet, near Newbury, Berks, was exhibited at the,
meeting of the Zoological JoCiet^February 14th, 1J65, by
Professor Newton, who remarked upon the powers of endurance
in their, flight various members of- th|..family
RalUda, and upon the occurrence .of 'this species on a g f i g |
occasion in ^remdand'(P., Z.-.S. 1865, p. 196; and Zool.
p. 9540). The"adult American representative maybe distinguished
from the European bird by &fg bl§ck face. On
the strength of a single occurrence it seemsiinexpedient to
add this species to tHe list of British birds.