70 A BOOK OF BIRDS 



fig. 5). This bird occurs but rarely in Great Britain, and is a native 

 of Africa. The Spotted Crake (Plate XIII. fig. 6), on the other 

 hand, was a common breeding bird in Great Britain years ago. 

 Since the fen- and marsh-lands, however, have become so largely 

 reclaimed, it has sadly decreased in numbers. It is common all over 

 Europe during the summer, but it returns to Africa to winter. 



The Corncrake, or Landrail as it is often called (Plate XIII. fig. 9), 

 unlike the Little Crake and Spotted Crake, which love the marshes, 

 is a bird which frequents dry meadows, clover-fields, and fields of 

 standing corn. Though but of feeble flight, it yet leaves this country 

 every autumn to pass the winter in Africa, returning again in the 

 spring. This bird makes a very remarkable " creaking " note during 

 the summer months, especially at evening time, a note which can 

 easily be imitated by passing the thumb-nail rapidly over the teeth 

 of a comb. By this means the bird may be lured to within a short 

 distance of the operator. It does not take wing readily, and flies 

 slowly, with its legs hanging down. When hard pressed, and es- 

 pecially if wounded, it will elude even a dog, by climbing among 

 tangled bushes ; and when captured, will frequently contrive to 

 make a speedy escape by feigning death, a device followed by other 

 members of this family. 



The Water-rail (Plate XIII. fig. 3) may be considered a resident 

 of most of the marshy land in England, and especially, perhaps, in 

 Norfolk. It also occurs, though less plentifully, in Scotland and 

 Ireland. It is never found far from water, and swims and dives 

 with remarkable ease. And this, too, it is to be noted, in spite of 

 the fact that the feet are not webbed ; the toes being, on the con- 

 trary, of great length and slenderness. On account of its shy and 

 retiring habits it is a bird but rarely seen, even where it may be 

 described as common. 



The Coot and the Water-hen are to be reckoned among the 

 commonest of the inland water-birds of Great Britain. Both are 

 admirable divers, and, like the Water-rail, do not have webbed feet, 

 though the toes of the Coot are provided with broad lobes of skin 

 along their sides. 



The Water-hen (Plate XIII. fig. 4) may be distinguished from 

 the Coot not only by its smaller size, but also by the bright vermilion- 



