CORN CRAKE. 531 



close at hand, that I imagined them to be far away, and it is 

 probable that other birds have the same faculty, which seems 

 to depend upon the elongation or contraction of the trachea. 

 When uttering its cry, the Corn Crake usually remains still, 

 standing with its neck considerably drawn in. I have 

 watched it so employed through a hole in the wall. But I 

 have also often seen it walk leisurely along at the time. As 

 to its neck being " stretched perpendicularly upwards," as 

 alleged by Mr. Selby, I never had the pleasure of observing 

 it perform in this manner. At the period when the nights 

 are shortest I have heard it commence its cry so early as one 

 in the morning. 



Although not gaudily attired, the Corn Crake is richly 

 coloured, and when observed in its wild haunts has an appear- 

 ance of great elegance. It moves in a graceful manner, and 

 when proceeding leisurely, walks with what might be called 

 sedateness, lifting its feet rather high, jerking up its short 

 tail, and bending its neck backwards and forwards at every 

 step, like the Water-Hen. If alarmed, either while walking, 

 or while uttering its cry, it instantly ceases, stands still or 

 crouches, and if it judges it expedient, starts off, throwing its 

 neck out and its body forward. It is not gregarious at any 

 period of its residence with us, although in favourable situa- 

 tions, such as extensive meadows, many individuals may 

 sometimes be found not far from each other. Its food con- 

 sists of worms, tastaceous mollusca, and insects, especially 

 lcpidoptera. 



Soon after it arrives it begins to form its nest, which is 

 composed of a few straws, laid in a slight hollow, among 

 corn, or herbage of any kind. The eggs, which are of an 

 elongated oval form, and of a light cream-colour, or pale- 

 greyish-yellow, patched, spotted, and dotted with umber or 

 brownish-red, and light-purplish blue or grey, are generally 

 about ten, or from eight to twelve. In colour they bear a 

 remarkable resemblance to those of the Mistle Thrush. Their 

 average length is two inches and one- twelfth, their greatest 

 breadth an inch and four-twelfths. The young are at first 

 covered Avith long hair-like down, of a blackish colour, and 

 leave the nest immediatety after they burst the shell, to follow 



