502 VVA'l ER-RAIL. 



observed as far north as St. Petersburg. In Northern Germany, Den- 

 mark, and even in Holland, it is by no means common ; but in 

 Belgium, France, and the rest of Europe, it is generally distributed, 

 and in the Caucasus it is found up to a considerable elevation. 

 Eastward we trace it through Turkestan as far as Gilgit ; while India, 

 China, Japan, and Southern Siberia are inhabited by closely-allied 

 forms. In Africa it breeds in the marshes of Morocco and Algeria, 

 visiting Egypt and Abyssinia in winter ; but in South Africa it is 

 represented by a distinct species, R. ccBrulesce/is. It has not yet 

 reached the Azores, but an example has been known to settle on a 

 vessel in the Atlantic when 240 miles from the nearest land, and 

 there is a record of more than double that distance. 



The nest,, which is well concealed in a tussock of sedge, or some- 

 times among coarse herbage in a willow-bed, is made of flat leaves 

 of the reed; the eggs, 7-1 1 in number, are pale creamy-white, 

 sparsely flecked with reddish-brown and ash-grey : average measure- 

 ments I "4 by I in. Mr. A. H. Evans obtained some which were 

 slightly incubated as early as April 8th, while fresh clutches are 

 frequently found in June and July, so two broods are no doubt 

 produced in the season. The female, as a rule, slips off and sneaks 

 away on the approach of intruders, but should the clump of sedge 

 containing her nest be surrounded and well beaten out, there is 

 great difticulty in forcing her to take wing ; a solitary person, advanc- 

 ing stealthily can, however, approach sufficiently near for observa- 

 tion, and a dog will often capture a sitting bird. During the breed- 

 ing-season Water-Rails are very noisy, uttering a loud groaning 

 cro-o-o-an, called ' sharming ' in Norfolk. The food consists of 

 aquatic plants, worms, slugs and snails. 



The adult male has the bill red ; irides hazel ; feathers of the 

 crown, hind neck and upper surface olive-brown, with black streaks 

 down the centres ; quills dusky-brown ; cheeks, neck, and breast lead- 

 grey ; flanks nearly black, barred with white; vent pale buff; legs 

 and feet brownish flesh-colour. Length 11 "5; wing 475. The 

 female is duller in colour, and frequently exhibits some distinct 

 white bars on the wing-coverts. The young bird has the under 

 parts of a dull buffish-white, speckled on the throat and barred 

 on the flanks with dark brown ; while the upper parts have a more 

 olive tint than in the adult. The nestling is covered with black 

 down. 



