File:Image from page 544 of "An illustrated manual of British birds" (1889) (14561959569).jpg

Identifier: illustratedmanua01saun Title: An illustrated manual of British birds Year: 1889 (1880s) Authors: Saunders, Howard, 1835-1907 Subjects: Birds Publisher: London, Gurney and Jackson Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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Text Appearing Before Image: e base ;eye-stripes, face and throat dull grey; crown dark brown ; upperparts generally olive-brown with darker streaks, and minute spots ofwhite, thickest on the neck, and again on the tail-coverts ; breastbrown, spotted with white ; belly dull grey ; flanks barred brownand white ; legs and feet yellowish-green. Length 9 in. ; wing 4*5in. The female is slightly smaller and duller in colour. In theyoung bird the throat is white, and the spots are less pronounced, A specimen of the Carolina Crake, P. Carolina, shot near New-bury, Berks, was exhibited at the meeting of the Zoological Society,February 14th 1865, by Professor Newton, who remarked upon thepowers of endurance in their flight of various members of thefamily Rallida^, and upon the capture of this species on one occa-sion in Greenland. The adult may be distinguished from theEuropean bird by its black face. On the strength of a singleoccurrence it seems inexpedient to add this native of America tothe British list. RALLIIJ^. 497

Text Appearing After Image: THE LITTLE CRAKE. PORZANA PARVA (ScODOli). This Crake—also called, from its colour, the Olivaceous Galli-nule—is, on the whole, a rare visitor to England, though in Norfolkat least eleven authenticated examples have been obtained since1812, and a much larger number of such inconspicuous birds musthave escaped notice. Specimens have also been recorded fromSuffolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire (several), Lanca-shire, Cumberland (one), Oxfordshire, Middlesex, Sussex, Hants,Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall; while other counties have nodoubt been visited by it, though it has not always been accuratelydistinguished from the still smaller Baillons Crake, next in order.As regards Scotland, a specimen preserved by Thomas Edward ofBanff in March 1852 is in the collection of Mr. J. H. Gurney ; inIreland, the only authenticated example is one which was shot atBalbriggan in March 1854—a bird recorded under this name fromQueens Co. having proved to be a Spotted Crake. There is

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