24 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



Female's call, a low, musical dissyllable. Alarm-note, 

 much like the Partridge's. 



Habits. An expert runner, spending most of its 

 time on the ground. On the wing it is like a miniature 

 Partridge, flying with rapidly vibrated and whirring 

 wings. Usually monogamous, the males fighting very 

 fiercely at mating time. 



Food. Insects, small slugs, seeds, and grain. 



Nest. May or June. Two broods sometimes. 



Site. In a little hollow scraped in the ground ; 

 among growing herbage. 



Materials. If any, a few dead grasses. 



Eggs. Seven to twelve. Yellowish white, spotted 

 and blotched with umber-brown. 



LANDRAIL OR CORN CRAKE (Crex pratensis). 



April to October. Somewhat local, but otherwise 

 generally distributed throughout the British Isles. 



Haunts. Cultivated districts, and very partial to 

 low-lying meadows. 



Plumage. Upper parts yellowish-brown, with dark 

 centres to feathers ; areas above eyes and on cheeks 

 ashy grey. Wing-coverts and quills chestnut. Throat 

 white. Breast buffish. Belly and flanks well barred 

 with brown and buff. Bill, legs, and feet light brown. 

 Length n in. Female, slightly smaller ; less grey on 

 head, and chestnut on wings. Young, like female. 

 Nestling covered with black down. 



Language. The well-known grating " crek-crek," 

 like the noise produced by drawing one's finger-nail 

 across the teeth of a comb. 



Habits. It lives on the ground, where, aided by its 

 thin, wedge-shaped body, it proceeds with great celerity 



