4 88 CRAKE GALLINULE Class II. 



they are on the wing •, they truft their fafety to their 

 fwiftnefs of foot, and feldom are fprung a fecond 

 time t>ut with great difficulty. The land rail lays 

 from twelve to twenty eggs, of a dull white color, 

 marked with a few yellow fpots; notwithstanding 

 this, they are not very numerous in this kingdom. 

 Their note is fingular, refembling the word Crex 

 often repeated They are in greateft plenty in 

 Anglefea, where they appear about the twentieth 

 of April, fuppofed to pafs over from Ireland, where 

 they abound : at their firft arrival it is common to 

 jfhoot feven or eight in a morning. They are found 

 in mod of the Hebrides, and the Orknies. On their 

 arrival they are very lean, weighing only fix ounces ; 

 but before they leave this ifland, grow fo fat as to 

 weigh above eight. 

 De&crip. The feathers on the crown of the head, hind 



part of the neck, and the back, are black, edged 

 with bay color : the coverts of the wings of the 

 fame color - y but not fpotted : the tail is fhort, and 

 of a deep bay : the belly white : the legs afh-colqrecL 



La 



