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- THE MEADOW OR CORN CRAKE. 



Crex pratensis, BECHSTEIN. 

 PLATE XXIX. 



Rallus crex, Linn. Gallinula crex, Lath. Ortygometra 

 crex, Steph. Crex pratensis, Beclist., fyc. Poule d'eau 

 de genet, Temm. Corn Crake or Land Rail of British 

 authors. 



THE Corn Crake is generally distributed over the 

 British Islands, extending northwards to Orkney 

 and Shetland ; at the same time, it affects peculiar 

 localities, and there are many districts where it is 

 scarcely ever heard. Low lying and sheltered vales, 

 along a river's course, are its favourite haunts, and 

 there it will he found in meadows, young grass or 

 grain, osier beds, &c., preferring places in which 

 there is a certain degree of moisture. It is migra- 

 tory, being a summer visitant only, appearing at an 

 earlier or later period in the spring according to its 

 range northward or southward. In some parts it 

 has decreased, and without apparent cause ; in the 

 rale of the Annan, in the south of Scotland, ten 

 years since, the bird was extremely common, its 

 note being heard in almost every alternate field ; at 



