200 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 
three from afar, and yet the bird is standing motionless 
all the time, as I have several times tested. Its singular 
call I have often imitated by drawing my nail across the 
teeth of a pocket-comb, and thus inducing its near 
approach. 
The female sits very closely on her eggs—so closely, 
indeed, as not unfrequently to lose her life by the 
mower’s scythe ; I have known two instances of this, mm 
one of which the poor bird was almost cut in two. A 
single specimen of the Spotted Crake (Crex porzana) 
was killed in a swampy piece of ground by the stream 
at Budby, in October, 1863. I have known no other 
instance of its presence with us. 
All the streams which intersect our neighbourhood, 
and especialiy the large lakes in the parks, are abun- 
dantly stocked withthe Water-hen (Gallinula chloropus). 
In the streams it only frequents the stiller reaches, where 
the banks are fringed with reeds or bushy aquatic plants, 
which afford it concealment when required. It is, how- 
ever, by no means a shy bird, and where its haunts are 
in the neighbourhood of houses it becomes comparatively 
bold. At Budby the stream washes the side of the turn- 
pike road, which on the other side is bounded by a row 
of houses ; here the water-hens mingle with the ducks 
and geese which throng the water from a neighbouring 
farmyard, and, regardless of passers-by, walk fearlessly 
on the road, feeding amongst their tame companions, 
In Thoresby Park they are equally tame, frequenting 
the lawns and gardens, and the park itself in the vicinity 
of the water, especially near the bridge leading to the 
house, and running about amongst the sheep and deer. 
A few pairs inhabit a deep still part of the stream flow- 
ing through our village, the banks on either side being 
