i:
4- CRAKE G.
Description.
Place and
Manners.
Rallus Crex, Ltn. Syjl. i. p. 261. 1.— Faun. Suee. 194•'—Scop. Ann. i.
N° 154.— Brun. N° 192»— Muller, N° zi8.—Kram. EL p. 349. I.—
Frifcb. t. zi 1.— Georgi Reifg, p. 172.
Le Rale de Genet, ou Roi des Cailles, Brif. Orn. v. p. 159. pi. 13. fig. 2.
— Buf, 0 $£-viii. p. 146. pi. 12.— PI, Enl. 750.
La Poule-Sultane rouffatre, Brif, Orn. v. p. 533. 5.
Daker Hen, or Rail, Rail Syn. p. 58. A. 8.— Will. Orn. p. 170. pi. 29.—
Albin, i. pi. 32.
Land Hen, Will. Or», p. 316.
Crake Gallinule, Br. Zool. N° 216. pi. y$.-*~Arft. Z00L N° 412.
Br. Muf. Lev. Muf.
T E N G T H nine inches and a half: weight from fix to eight
ounces. Bill one inch, colour greyifh brown : irides hazel:
the plumage on the upper parts pale rufous brown, each feather
dalhed down the middle with black : the under parts the fame,
but paler, and not fpotted: chin very pale: belly yellowilh white:
on the fides a few bars of the fame : legs the colour of the bill.
This is a very plentiful bird in fome parts of thefe realms j
particularly fo in Ireland, where it is probable they pafs the winter.
Are alfo found in moft of the Hebrides and Orknies. 'Appear
at Anglefea in Wales about the 20th of April; fuppofed to
have come from Ireland. Few places in England are deftitute of
them in fummer : are found alfo in Scotland and the Orknies * j
but no where what may be called common j and it is faid that
wherever Quails are in plenty, the Crake abounds f ; at leaft it is
fo obferved in the temperate parts of Ruffta and_ Sibiria, where
* Flora Scot. + Hence called the King of \the Quails.
10 they
they are fufficiently common *. Are found on the continent as
far as Norway: inhabit alfo Germany, France, Italy, and Greece;
and are feen, if we miftake not the fpecies, fpring and autumn at
Aleppo f ; but only on their pafiage north and fouth. This bird is
faid to lay ten or twelve eggs, an inch and a half in length, and
not very unlike thofe of the Mijfel Thrujh, of a reddifh cinereous
white, marked with ferruginous blotches, with a few indiftinft
ones of a pale reddilh afh-colour: thefe it lays among the thickeft
grafs, on a bed made of mofs or dry grafs. The young are covered
with a black down, and very foon find the ufe of their legs.
The old ones run faft, but fly awkwardly, with thé legs hanging
down. The ufual note is not unlike the noife made by drawing
one’s nail over the teeth of a Comb; and is compared to the word
Crëk, Grek, Crëk, which it often repeats; whence' it is called in
fome parts the Corn Crake. The food is grain and feeds of many
kinds, as alfo inlefts. On their firft arrival in England are fo
lean as to weigh lefs than Jix ounces; but before their departure
have been known to exceed eight, and are fo fat that we have more
than once feen it exude through the Ikin like oil, foon after the
bird was killed. Their ffelh is reckoned an exquifite morfel.
g I Z E of the Crake Gallinule. Bill larger than in that bird, and
black : the upper parts of the head, neck, and body, fine rufous
brown : the under much paler : quills and tail darkeft: the
chin and vent reddifh white: legs dufky red.
I received this from Jamaica.
# Particularly fo about tile- Steppes of Syfran, as we 111 as other deficits, where
they make a great noife of nights ; and are known by the n im.es of Dergun and
Korafel.— Dec. Ruff. i. 470,
t Ruff. Alip. p. 64.
K k 2 Lev.