LAND RAIL. 193 
ORDER GRALLA. 
SUB-ORDER FULICARIZ. FAMILY RALLID/. 
LAND RAIL. 
CREX PRATENSIS, Bechstein. 
Cornerake, Grass Quail, Quail, Dakerhen. 
During the last week of April or the first few days of 
May, the familiar call of this summer visitor may be 
heard in the Cheshire lowlands and in the hill-pastures 
up to the edge of the moors. In 1892 a female was 
picked up under the telegraph wires at Helsby on 
April 7th, an unusually early date. 
The Land Rail is seldom seen, owing to its skulking 
habits, but during May and June and until the middle 
of July its presence everywhere is advertised day and 
night by its monotonous and incessant ‘crake.’ The 
majority of the birds leave us in September, but we 
have known individuals that have been wounded, or 
from some other reason have been unable to migrate, 
to live through the winter. 
Mr. J. J. Cash has timed the eall of this bird, and 
found that the dissyllabic note is uttered sixty times 
per minute. 
1 Dobie, op. cit. p. 331. 
