462 EALLID^E. 



few straws, in a hollow in the ground, among corn or hay, 

 and lays from eight to ten, or rarely, twelve eggs. The 

 young birds are able to accompany their parents in their 

 mazy travels as soon as they have left the shell. The 

 note of the old bird is heard much later in the season 

 than the song of most other birds, and is probably em- 

 ployed as a call-note to the young, which, but for some 

 such guidance, would be very likely to go astray. In the 

 still evenings of August, I have, while standing on the 

 shore of the island of Islay, distinctly heard its monotonous 

 " crek-crek " proceeding from a corn-field on the opposite 

 shore of Jura, the Sound of Islay which intervened being 

 here upwards of half a mile wide. On ordinary occasions 

 it is not easy to decide on the position and distance of the 

 bird while uttering its note ; for the Corn Crake is a 

 ventriloquist of no mean proficiency. 



THE SPOTTED CRAKE. 



CREX POEZANA. 



Forehead, throat, and a streak over the eye, lead-grey ; upper plumage olive- 

 brown, spotted with black and white ; breast and under plumage olive and 

 ash, spotted with white, the flanks barred with white and brown ; bill green- 

 ish yellow, orange at the base ; irides brown ; feet greenish yellow. Length 

 nine inches. Eggs yellowish red, spotted and speckled with brown and ash. 



THE Spotted Crake is smaller in size than the Corn Crake, 

 and far less common. It is shot from time to time in 

 various parts of Great Britain, especially in the fen 

 countries, to which its habits are best suited. It frequents 

 watery places which abound with reeds, flags, and 

 sedges, and among these it conceals itself, rarely using 

 its wings, but often wading over mud and weeds, and 

 taking freely to the water, in which it swims with facility. 

 The nest, which is a large structure, composed of rushes 

 and reeds, is placed among thick vegetation, near the 

 water's edge, and contains from seven to ten eggs. 



