THE BIRDS OF BRECONSHIRE. 103 
minutes motionless, and to all appearance 
dead. I was looking for a shot-mark, 
when suddenly, as I looked away for a 
moment, without the slightest warning, 
it flew off. I was so surprised that I 
could hardly believe my eyes. My dogs 
moved the bird twice afterwards, but I 
gave the clever little fellow the liberty 
it had so well earned. The late Rev. Mr. 
Marsh, of Sutton, Benger, Wilts., used 
to say that dogs hunt the Water Rail 
with greater avidity than any other water 
bird, when once it has been killed to 
them; and I have found this to be the 
case, several dogs I have had taking 
the greatest pleasure in hunting them. 
Some years ago I had a fine stuffed 
Bittern with a skeleton of a Water Rail 
which had been taken from its crop after 
it had been killed. The cry of this bird 
in the breeding season is loud and reson- 
ant and when once heard can never 
afterwards be forgotten. The literal 
Welsh is Vsgrech y dwr. 
LANDRAIL, OR CORN CRAKE, 
Crex pratensis. 
Fairly plentiful, but I have never seen 
