30 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Materials. Strong stems of dead grass and 

 leaves, with an inner lining of finer grass. 



Eggs. Seven to ten ; as many as twelve and 

 even fifteen have been met with, however. Pale 

 reddish-white or light buff, spotted, freckled, and 

 blotched with red-brown of various shades and ash- 

 grey. Size about 1*4 by 11 in. 



Time. May and June, although nests with 

 eggs in have been reported as late as September. 



Eemarks. Migratory, although individuals re- 

 main all the year round in Ireland. Arrives in 

 April and May and departs in September and 

 October, although stragglers remain later. Notes : 

 Crake, crake. Local and other names: Landrail, 

 Meadow Crake, Corn Creak, Draker Hen. The 

 bird sits close, and, as a consequence, individuals 

 sometimes get their heads cut off by the mower's 

 scythe or machine. 



CRAKE, SPOTTED. 



Description of Parent Bird. Length about nine 

 inches. Bill of medium length, straight, thick at 

 the base and pointed at the tip, yellowish-brown 

 in colour, with a brighter and redder tinge towards 

 the base. Irides brownish-hazel. Crown hazel- 

 brown spotted with black in the middle ; over each 

 eye is a patch of dull blue-grey ; sides of head, 

 nape and sides of neck olive-brown spotted with 

 white. The feathers of the back are black, broadly 

 edged with dark olive-brown, and streaked up and 

 down with fine lines of white. Wing-coverts olive- 

 brown ; quills dark brown, mottled and barred with 

 white; rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail-quills 

 black, bordered with dark reddish-brown and spotted 

 with white. Chin grey-brown; throat and breast 



