BIUTJSII BIRDS' NESTS. 31 



dusky brown mottled with white ; sides and flanks 

 greyish-brown barred with white ; under tail-coverts 

 huffish- white, legs and toes yellowish-green (toes 

 long), claws brown. 



The female is a trifle smaller, and not quite 

 so distinctive in coJ oration. 



Sitiiatio)/ (111(1 Locality. — In a tussock of sedge, 

 amongst reeds and other vegetation, growing in 

 marshes, bogs, and wet, swampy ground. The 

 foundation is generally hi water. Sparingly along 

 the East Coast counties, in Wales, Cumberland, 

 one or two suitable parts of Scotland, and Ireland. 



Materials. — Coarse aquatic plants, such as reeds 

 and flags in somewhat liberal quantities, and hned 

 with dry grass. 



^ggS' — Seven to twelve. White, yellowish-grey, 

 or ocherous. Some authorities describe them as 

 being occasionally white tinged with green, or grey 

 tinged with pink, spotted with dark reddish-brown, 

 and underlying markings of grey. Size about 1-3 

 by -9 in. 



Tilne.~Mii^f is the principal laying month ; how- 

 ever, eggs have been found in April and right 

 through June. 



Bemarlxs. — Migratory and resident. The hrst 

 kind of birds arrive in March and depart in October. 

 Notes: wliuit, /rJtuit. Local and other names: 

 Spotted Rail, Water Rail, Water Crake (this name 

 is also applied to the Dipper), Spotted Gallinule, 

 Spotted Water Hen. Shps quietly off nest and 

 hides amongst surrounding vegetation. 



