250 BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES 



Old gunners tell me they have shot them in years gone 

 before the end of March, and that they " allust used to 

 come over then and on inter April, and that they never seed 

 none in the depth of winter, as they have heard some gents 

 talk on ; they never shot none no later than October, that 

 was their time for going away — September and October. 

 They fare wise birds tew ; they kinder throw their 

 woices ; but that's only done by tarning their head. I ha' 

 watched 'em many a time. They allust used ter build in 

 May, in the sedge or chate round the broads — they like the 

 ground same as snipe do — they build a neast jest like a water- 

 rail's, only a little smaller. Lor', I ha' found hundreds of 

 their eggs in Catfield fen, and mostly allust they built their 

 neasts of chate. They generally lay seven or eight eggs, 

 but I never seed more than ten in a neast. They feed their 

 young on insects and them totty little water-dodmans. But, 

 lor', we used ter pay no regard ter 'em, only ter know 'em 

 from a common rail ; they be smaller, fly quicker, and are 

 more humpy like, and both on 'em fly legs down. But the 

 spotted rail is a quicker bird ; he don't mardle about in the 

 stuff, like the common rail. But onest, sir, I heard a 

 strange creetur, a rail, what mewed like a cat. I told some 

 chaps cutting gladen, and that got about, and, lor', lots of 

 people used ter come and listen ter him. The mawthers 

 thought it was a spirit ; for the later that got of a night the 

 louder that mewed. I found his neast, tew, on a grass piece." 

 So rare are spotted rails to-day that I have never seen a nest, 

 and have heard but few birds, but I have heard their peculiar 

 whi'oo-zvhcoo whistle, that will never be forgotten. 



The first I heard was on Somerton Broad, some years 

 ago. I was sitting, one hot August night, the breeze 

 rustling my curtains, when I suddenly heard a loud shout, 

 then a pause, and again came the whistle. I thought the 

 old eel-babber, whom I knew to be near, was signalling; 

 so I went out in the starlight and shouted — 



" Hullo, there ! What are you whistling for ? " 



