220 BRITISH BIBDS' NESTS. 



tlie centre, mottled and barred on the margins 

 with brown. Legs, toes, and claws pale brown. 



The female lacks the gorgets, and has the 

 breast feathers marked with dark spots on either 

 side of the pale shafts. 



Situation and Locality. — On the ground in 

 growing cornfields, grass and clover fields, sparingly 

 throughout the British Isles. 



Materials. — The slight hollow used as a nest 

 is scantily lined with blades of grass, trodden down, 

 or a few dead leaves. 



Eggs. — Seven to twelve ; as many even as twenty 

 have been found, doubtless the production of two 

 females. Pale yellowish-brown of varyiug shades, 

 spotted, blotched, and clouded with umber-brown 

 and blackish-brown. Some eggs are only spotted, 

 whilst others are thickly clouded with varying 

 shades of brown. Size about 1-1 by -9 in. Dis- 

 tinguished by small size and character of markings. 



Time. — May and June. 



Hemariis. — Migratory and resident. Notes, <:7/c/i- 

 clic-lic. Other names : none. Sits closel3\ 



RAIL, LAND. Hee Ceake, Corn. 



RAIL, WATER. 



Description of Parent Birds. — Length nearly 

 twelve inches. Beak rather long, nearly straight, 

 and red. Irides hazel. Crown, neck, back, and 

 wing-coverts olive or reddish-brown, with a deep 

 black mark in the middle of each feather ; wing 

 and tail primaries dusky, with lighter margins ; 

 chin, cheeks, throat, sides of neck, breast, and 



