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THE CORN-CRAKE, OR r.AN])-HAlL.* 



In the rich meadow lands of some parts of Britain, the peculiar crj' of this bird may be 

 heard resounding on every side, during the \\hole or greater part of May. Now the 

 Land-rail seems close at hand, as if the bird were not a yard off ; now it is fur distant, 

 while other voices in different parts of the meadow keej) up the reiterated note, crake, 

 crake, crake, from which the English and the Latin names are derived. 



Jlr. Jesse, in his remarks on this bird, saj's : " I have met with an incident in the 

 natural history of the corn-crake, which I believe is perfectly accurate, having been 

 informed the bird will put on the semblance of death when exposed to danger from 

 which it is unable to escape. The incident was this : — a gentleman had a corn-crake 

 brought to him by liis dog, to all appearance quite dead. As it lay on the ground he 

 turned it over with his foot, and was convinced it was dead. Standing by, however, in 

 silence, he suddenly saw it open an eye. lie tlien took it up ; its head fell, its legs hung 

 loose, and it appeared again cpiitc dead, lie then put it into his pocket, and before long 

 he felt it all alive, and struggling to escape. lie then took it out; it was a.s lifeless u.s 

 before. Having laid it again upon tlie ground, and retired to some distance, tlie bird in 

 about five minutes warily raised its liead, looked round, and decamped at full speed. I 

 have seen a similar circumstance take place with a partridge, and it is well known that 

 many insects will practise the same deception." 



• Gftlliuuln ercx. — Peun. 



