104 THE BIRDS OF BRECONSHIRE. 
them in any numbers. In August and 
September they are often found on the 
hills, where I think they resort before 
returning. They are not nearly so 
plentiful with us as in England, and I 
think have decreased in numbers of late 
years. Here again the Welsh name, 
Vsgrech y gwaiy (the screamer of the 
hay), is most impressive, the word 
ysgrech, as pronounced in Welsh, being 
a good imitation of the cry of the Corn 
Crake, and preferable in this respect to 
our word ‘ crake.” When Grouse shoot- 
ing in August 1897, at Merthyr Cynog, 
in company with my brother-in-law, Mr. 
A. Gwynne Vaughan, he shot at and 
winged a Landrail. It fell in some 
reeds and ran, and the pointer drew it 
for a considerable distance. It then set 
up a prolonged screaming and I picked 
it up whilst so doing. The noise it 
made was shrill and startling and quite 
unlike the ordinary ‘“‘Crake.” Although 
I have killed many of these birds I 
have never heard one utter a sound 
except in the breeding season. 
SPOTTED CRAKE, Crex porzana. 
A regular visitant, but very local. On 
: 
ai 
