AUGUST. 



281 



they should never be the objects of our wan- 

 tonness. 



While speaking of the habits of animals I 

 may as well add one or two other facts. The 

 corn-crake which visits us in summer,, and 

 keeps up in our meadows its cry of crake., 

 crake, is, it is well known, not easily to be 

 seen. It runs with great rapidity, and is loth 

 to take wing. When found, it has the instinct, 

 in common with some other animals, and espe- 

 cially insects, to feign death. A gentleman 

 had one brought to him by his dog. It was 

 dead to all appearance. As it lay on the 

 ground, he turned it over with his foot he was 

 convinced it was dead. Standing by, however, 

 some time in silence, he suddenly saw it open 

 an eye. He then took it up its head fell its 

 legs hung toose it appeared again totally dead. 

 He then put it in his pocket, and before very 

 long he felt it all alive and struggling to escape. 

 He took it out, it was as lifeless as before. He 

 then laid it again upon the ground and retired 

 to some distance ; in about five minutes it 

 warily raised its head, looked round, and de- 

 camped at full speed. 



I was, on a fine summer day, sitting in the 



