WATER-RAIL. 339 



clump of sedge or rushes, and in most cases is extremely 

 difficult to find. It is rather bulky, and made of stems 

 and flat leaves of reeds, and bits of dead aquatic plants, 

 neatly and smoothly lined with finer yet similar material. 

 It is invariably placed upon the ground, but when in a 

 hassock of sedge or rushes the roots of the plant elevate 

 it a foot or more above the surrounding level. The bird 

 sits closely, and leaves the nest in a quiet, stealthy 

 manner, slipping off into the surrounding vegetation and 

 skulking close until the disturbance has passed. 



Range of egg colouration and measurement : 

 The eggs of the Water-Rail are usually from five to 

 seven in number, but as many as nine and more rarely 

 eleven have been found. They vary from yellowish- 

 white to pale buff in ground colour, somewhat sparingly 

 spotted and speckled with reddish-brown and with 

 numerous underlying markings of violet-gray. Little 

 variation is presented, but occasionally the spots are 

 rather large. Average measurement, 1-4 inch in length, 

 by I'O inch in breadth. Incubation, performed by both 

 sexes, lasts about three weeks. 



Diagnostic characters : The eggs of the Water- 

 Rail cannot readily be confused with those of any other 

 species breeding in our area, with the one exception of 

 those of the Corn Crake ; the markings, however, are 

 smaller and more clearly defined ; whilst the breeding- 

 grounds of the two birds are totally different in character. 



