60 Nesdng and Rearing of Landrails in Captivity. 



and I felt really sorry for the poor fellow, he seemed to feel 

 his failure as a vocalist so keenly, and yet always started off 

 so hopefully and cheerfully at his next attempt, showing what 

 a persevering and sanguine disposition he possessed, ^.s soon, 

 however, as the chicks hatched out and the hen was free to 

 do so, she quickly put an end to it all and must, I fear, have 

 told him, with ])lain and brutal bluntness that his voice was 

 no gooa and never would be any good for anything except for 

 frying onions, for from that day his efforts ceased entirely, and 

 never again did he indulge in a solitary '" craik " even when 

 courting her again, as he did later on in the season (pairing 

 obslerved to take place on July i8th). His spirit was 

 thoroughly broken. 



On several occasions I endca\'oured to obtain some 

 snap-shots of the family party, but although opporlua'.t.es 

 for a good picture were not wanting, all my attempts, I am 

 sorry to say, ended in failure, probably because the camera. 

 a vest-pocket Kodak, with which I was operating, waj hardlv 

 suitable for the purpose. 



Some of the chicks were always noticeably dari^er tlian 

 the others and all grew very rapidly. On examining the chicks 

 on Julv 7th, the plumage was as follows : Black lines extend- 

 ing from each side of the neck down the flanks, flights, and a 

 streak over the eye brown (blackish stripe or Imc below 

 down centre of breast), remainder of plumage smoi-cy ]:)lack, 

 presenting rather a, patchy appearance. 



On July I 3th they w ere almost as large as their parents, 

 and brown distinctly predominated in their plumage, though 

 the black lines (down flanks and centre of breast still remained. 



On September 5th, I caught up all the 'rails for, the 

 purpose of ringing and sexing them and the young were at 

 this time practically indistinguishable from the old hen. 



The sexes, even at this age, appear easy to separate, 

 hens having much more snaky looking heads and riner beaks; 

 the beaks of the cocks appearing much more wedge shaped. 



The young chicks were fed as under: — 

 Spratts' chicken meal or alternately " Banto." 

 " Life " food: 100 earthworms in the morning, and an- 



