310 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



beak is not so long or her plumage so bright and 

 distinctive ; she also generally shows some white 

 bars, which the male lacks, on the wing-coverts. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground amongst 

 long grass, a clump of rushes or reeds, in thick 

 osier beds, swamps where alders grow, round ponds 

 and ditches, on the banks of slow-running rivers 

 and in boggy ground abounding in reeds and dense 

 aquatic growths. Said to nest generally through- 



WATER RAIL SITTING. 



out the United Kingdom, but nowhere abundant. 

 I have only met with it breeding in East Anglia. 



Materials. Reeds, sedge grass, and flags, in 

 rather liberal quantities. 



Eggs. Five to eleven, generally six or seven ; 

 creamy-white in ground-colour, speckled with a few 

 small reddish spots and underlying dots of ash- 

 grey. The locality of the nest and small spots 

 distinguish them from those of the Corn Crake. 

 Size about 1.4 by i.o in. (See Plate XV.) 



Time. April, May, June, and July. 



Remarks. Migratory and resident. Many of 

 our winter visitors retire north to breed. Notes : a 



