270 SPOTTED CRAKE. 



SPOTTED CRAKE. 



CREX PORZANA. 



Family Rallid.^. Genus Crex. 



Jacky-mo. 



The Spotted Crake is a summer visitor to the 

 marshy and swampy districts of the British Isles, 

 though in some instances it may remain through the 

 winter. It is not however a common bird, and from 

 its skulking habits, which, in common with the other 

 Crakes, it adopts on arriving upon our shores, it is 

 possibly considered even more rare than it really is. 



In its habits it closely resembles the succeeding 

 species, the Water Rail, both birds frequenting the 

 same marshes and swampy districts ; they both nest 

 in the reeds, and the nests are very similar in their 

 construction. When compelled to take wing, they 

 both adopt the same heavy, uncertain, laboured flight, 

 with their long legs trailing beneath them ; indeed to 

 any one who has witnessed the apparent difficulty 

 with which these birds fly, it is a mystery how they 

 ever manage to cross the sea. 



The Spotted Crake feeds upon water insects, worms, 

 slugs and seeds. Its flesh is said to be considered a 

 great delicacy. It can be kept in confinement, and 

 has been made fairly tame. 



The general colour of the upper plumage of the 

 Spotted Crake is olive brown, the feathers having dark 

 centres and being spotted at the edge with white : 

 the under parts are slate grey shading into white and 

 buff, the flanks being barred with black. 



Though there is no doubt that these birds breed in 

 some of our marshes, yet it is no common thing to 



