Order GRALLE. 
Sub-Order FULICARIA. 
Family RALLIDA. 
CORN-CRAKE. Cvex pratensis (Bechstein). 
Coloured Figures.—Gould, ‘ Birds of Great Britain,’ vol. iv, pl. 
87; Dresser, ‘ Birds of Europe,’ vol. vii, pl. 499; Lilford, 
‘Coloured Figures,’ vol. iv, pl. 55. 
The Corn-Crake,! or Land-Rail, is by far the best-known 
member of its family. It is widely distributed in summer 
over the British Isles and is even plentiful on many of the 
remote islands off the western sea-board of Scotland and 
Ireland. In some districts, the birds are very abundant, 
and their harsh voices may be heard in chorus from the 
meadows around, yet comparatively few persons are familiar 
with the size and colour of this species. Like other Crakes, 
it skulks in cover during the day-time, and is most reluctant 
to take wing, unless suddenly surprised in close quarters by 
a dog. It is mainly the voice which is known to the general 
public, and were the bird more silent it might pass as a 
much scarcer summer-yisitor. 
The Corn-Crake usually arrives during the latter half of 
April and early May,” remains to breed during the summer, 
and takes its departure in October. It is quite true that a 
very small percentage of those that breed here are recorded 
annually in winter from some part or other of the British 
Isles, but this is no criterion that this species is not migra- 
1 The voice is such a characteristic feature that I much prefer the 
name Corn-Crake to Land-Rail, besides, this bird is more closely allied 
to the succeeding Crakes (Porzana) than to the Water-Rail (Rallus). 
? As an exceptionally early occurrence, may be mentioned a bird 
caught on the Tuskar rock off Wexford, on March 28th, 1884 (Ussher). 
