WATER RAIL. 195 
years ago; and Colonel Dixon obtained one at Astle in 
1868. 
On October 3rd, 1891, a Spotted Crake was picked 
up by Mr. H. 8. Claye beneath the telephone wires on 
Bosley Cloud, and was erroneously recorded at the 
time as a Little Crake, Porzana parva (Scopoli).1 
WATER RAIL. 
RALLUS AQUATICUS, Linnzeus. 
The Water Rail is a not uncommon visitor to the 
lowlands of the county; and though, naturally, rarer in 
the Hills, it has even been obtained in the upper part 
of Longdendale, where one was shot high up on the 
moors at Woodhead in the autumn of 1894. A few 
pairs probably nest with us; Mr. F. S. Graves assures 
us that he has seen the bird in the breeding season at 
Redes Mere, and the late T. W. Barlow stated that 
Water Rails were to be met with in the neighbourhood 
of Holmes Chapel throughout the year.? 
Although it usually keeps well out of sight, the 
Water Rail when surprised in the open will sometimes 
trust for protection to its resemblance to surrounding 
objects. On November 19th, 1887, Coward saw one 
running near the margin of Rostherne Mere. When 
he was still a long way off it mounted on a bare 
tree-stump, and squatting on the top held its head 
horizontally, so that the beak appeared to be a twig 
projecting from the trunk. It allowed him to approach 
within two or three feet, and then ran to the water 
and swam to a reed-bed. In March 1893 he saw 
1 Field, vol. \xxviii. p. 582. 1891. 
* Zoologist, ser. 1. vol. iii. p. 1025, 1845. 
