336 RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



its rich and exuberant growth. They also frequent the 

 turnip fields, if they afford sufficient shelter, and feed on 

 the vast quantities of worms and snails found there. 

 In autumn the Landrail will take shelter amongst the 

 growing corn, but only as a last resource, and when 

 other cover is wanting. When in such situations it in- 

 variably comes to the grass lands to feed, and may be 

 seen at eventide and early morning, feeding like the 

 Thrushes, occasionally holding his head erect and look- 

 ing warily around — at the least alarm either crouching 

 low and fearful to the earth, or running through the 

 hedgerow into the standing corn. Doubtless the Land- 

 rail's departure is influenced by the decay of the her- 

 bage. When that fails his hiding-place is gone, and he 

 must depart to seek more secluded haunts. As the 

 birds probably go in the night, we are at a loss to know 

 whether they journey in flocks ; but the probability is 

 they migrate singly, or in little parties, pushing their way 

 in stages, hiding in the day time, and winging their way 

 through the darkness as mysteriously and silently as 

 they came. I have known the Landrail, in some few 

 rare instances, winter in this country, but such instances 

 are only exceptions of the rarest kind, and to which a 

 reason it would be difficult to assign. 



