370 Stray Notes on the Birds of Auglesea. [Sess. 



flat upon its resting-place, and appears to be part and parcel 

 of the same. It alights withoiit the slightest noise, elevating 

 the wings before perching, apparently to steady itself, but 

 when once the wings are lowered the bird seems to disappear 

 altogether. Just to show how difficult it is to locate them 

 under such circumstances, I may instance the fact that for a 

 number of nights I took up my quarters for two hours at a 

 time close to a solitary bare tree upon which the birds were 

 in the habit of settling, and although they must have perched 

 within fifteen yards of the spot selected upwards of twenty 

 times, only on two occasions could it be said positively that 

 the bird was discernible on the branch. Any one present 

 who has really taken the trouble to study the night-jar's habits 

 will, I feel certain, corroborate this statement. A very great 

 deal more might be said concerning this species, but time 

 would not permit, the only remark now to be made being that 

 the males are distinguished from the females by the two white 

 spots on the outer feathers of the tail.^ 



Another species comparatively numerous in Anglesea was 

 the water-rail, — a very sliy retiring bird, and not so often seen 

 as its numbers would lead us to expect ; but this circumstance 

 is easy to account for, from the fact of its resorting to swampy 

 and marshy ground, ditches, and suchlike, where the thick 

 herbage, reeds, and long grasses effectually conceal it from the 

 casual view. Add to this a natural timidity, a disinclination 

 to take to flight, a skulking habit (features common also to 

 the land- rail), and it will be conceded that it is not an easy 

 task to observe its habits. There were several ponds and 

 marshes where it nested, but very few came actually under 

 my own observation, the accompanying specimen being secured 

 with difficulty, and that while the bird was under water, the 

 bill and upper part of the head only being left above the 

 surface to enable it to breathe through its nostrils. Water- 

 rails are found in many districts of Scotland— such as Dud- 

 dingston at our own doors, Peeblesshire, Inverness-shire, and 

 in most localities suitable to its habits, although it is much 

 more common in Lincolnshire and other flat fenny parts of 

 England. 



1 The "pectinated" claw is a peculiar feature of this species, but as I am 

 unable to offer any theory upon its use, mention of it has been avoided. 



