1 70 ' 111 i!i) i: \r.r.i;uv, 



|])'iti.'>li Islands, ill till' iMiiili dl' Jrclaiid anil in paits of Si'otlan<l and lip 

 adjacent islands. The plumagp of tlic sexes is similar, lint the female 

 is scmiewliat smaller tlian tlic male. "\\'lien nestiiiii-, tliis s))ecies;, unlilie 

 the Blaek-thi'oated l~)ivei'. ])i'efers the small lochs and jjools, and is 

 seldom i'oiuid on the larg-ci' lochs, exee[)t when in search of fish, on which 

 it chiefly feeds. Little or no ucst is made, and the two large olive-brown 

 eggs, spotted \iith dark brown, arc placed on the hare and often wet 

 gronnd close to the water's edge. The male shares the duties of 

 incubation. 



Siitlierlaiidshire, .M ay. 



I'ri-xciilril III/ a. .1. ,S7. Qiiiii/in i>; 11 . R. ()(/ilrir-Urinil. lisqrs. 



No. 91, WATER-RAIL, (Ralliis aquaticus.) 



In the marshy districts of the JJritish Islands this species may be 

 regarded as a resident, for ibough some of our native birds move south- 

 ward in autumn, their place is taken by otbers from the Continent. 

 Worms, molluscs, and aquatic [ilants form its principal food. The 

 nest, made of flat leaves of reeds and sedges, is well concealed among 

 rushes or coarse herbage. The eggs, from seven to eleven in number, 

 arc ])ale creamy-white spotted with reddish-brown and ash-grey. The 

 young, wlicn first hatched, are covered with black down. Two broods 

 are produced iu a season. 



Co. Waterford, April. 

 Prcsfiifei/ bij R, ./. Ussher, Esq. 



No, 92, LAND-RAIL or CORN-CRAKE. (Ciex cie.x.) 



This well-known visitor arrives in the south of England about the 

 end of April and, as a rule, takes its departure before the end of 

 September. During tbe summer mouths it is widely distributed 

 througbout the British Islands, wherever grass-land and cultivated 

 fields are to be found. Owing to its retiring habits it is seldom seen ; 

 but the harsh call-note of the male must be familiar to most people. 

 Slugs, insects aud worms, as well as seeds, etc., form the principal food. 

 The nest, composed of pieces of dry plants, is placed on the ground 

 among grass, clover, or standing crops. From seven to ten buff- 

 coloured eggs, spotted with pale lavender and reddish-brown, are laid 

 about the end of May. 



The plant with the yellow flower is the Meadow Vetehling (Lat/ii/rus 



pratensis). 



Pt'rthshiie, June. 



Presented by U '. R. OyUvie-Grant, Esq. 



