WATER-RAIL. 67 



The fact, however, appears to be that the noise is produced 

 in the usual manner, and Morris says that the bittern " com- 

 monly booms when soaring high in the air with a spiral flight." 



When suddenly surprised, its flight is more like that of a 

 carrion crow when shot at in the air. If wounded, the bittern 

 can defend itself remarkably well, turning itself on its back, and 

 fighting with beak and claws. It cannot run well among the 

 reeds, so when surprised it takes refuge in flight, although it 

 is not by any means a good flier ; and as the reeds grow too 

 closely together for it to use its wings among them, it clam- 

 bers up them with its feet, until it can make play with its 

 wings. It is essentially nocturnal in its habits, hiding close 

 among the reeds and flags by day. 



Leaving Hoveton Broad, the boys sailed quietly down the 

 river to Ran worth Broad, without adventure. They turned 

 from the river along the dyke which led to the broad, and with 

 their usual enterprise they tried to take a short cut through a 

 thin corner of reeds growing in about two feet of water, which 

 alone divided them from the broad. They stuck fast, of course ; 

 but their usual good fortune attended them, and turned their 

 misfortune into a source of profit. A bird like a landrail, but 

 smaller, flew from a thick clump of vegetation near them. 



" Hallo, that is not a corn-crake, is it ? " said Dick. 



" No, but it is a water-crake, or water rail rather, and I expect 

 its nest is in that clump," said Frank, and his shoes and stock- 

 ings were off in a moment, and he was wading to the place 

 whence the bird had flown. 



'Yes, here it is, and there are eight eggs in it, very like a 

 landrail's, but much lighter in colour and a little smaller. I say, 

 if we hadn't seen the bird fly away we should never have found 

 the nest, it is so carefully hidden. I shall take four eggs. They 

 are not sat upon, and she will lay some more until she makes 

 up her full number, so it is not a robbery." 



The water- rail is one of the shyest of water-birds. It creeps 

 among the herbage like a rat, and is very difficult to put to 

 flight. When it does fly, its legs hang down as if it had not 

 strength to hold them up, and it flies but slowly, yet during the 

 winter time it migrates long distances. 



The boys spent but little time on the broad, for they were 

 anxious to get further away from home ; so, as there was a 

 strong breeze from the west, they ran before it as far as Acle, 



F 2 



