CORN CRAKE OR LAND RAIL. 535 



at that time have been killed on their arrival at Spurn, and 

 the late W. Talbot, author of the " Birds of Wakefield " (1876), 

 remarked that he had seen forty-one sent to one man in a season ; 

 per contra, in 1868 it was very scarce in the Western Ainsty ; 

 in 1877 in Wharf edale, in the Hawes district in 1884, and 

 generally throughout Yorkshire in 1906. Although more 

 frequently observed in the low-lying portions of the county, 

 it is not altogether absent from the higher parts of the dales, 

 and has nested to 1,000 feet elevation in Teesdale, and to 

 an altitude of 1,400 feet in Nidderdale. 



Mr. F. Boyes asks the question (Zool. 1871, p. 2869), 

 " Is the Corn Crake polygamous ? " thinking that it might 

 be so, from the fact that he found three nests in one field. 

 As illustrating the tenacity with which this bird clings to its 

 nest, Mr. C. Blenkhorn of Knaresborough writes (in litt. 2ist 

 June 1880), that, on cutting the grass round a haystack close 

 to a road, the mower exposed a Corn Crake's nest containing 

 twelve eggs ; several stackpins were then arranged to form 

 a roof over the sitting bird, so as to screen her from observa- 

 tion, and she successfully brought off her young. At Redcar 

 I have seen young birds which were hatched on 2nd July in 

 a nest that had contained thirteen eggs. 



The Rev. R. A. Summerneld of North Stainley watched 

 a Corn Crake uttering its cry, and observed that it turned 

 its head round over its back, opening its mandibles widely, 

 in this position giving forth its craking note. 



As regards country superstitions, the children in Skipton 

 district are forbidden by their parents to search for this bird, 

 being warned that death is certain to follow within a year if 

 they see one. In some districts the frequent calling of the 

 Corn Crake is said to be an indication of rain. 



Local names : Corn Crake, Land Rail, Daker Hen, and 

 Meadow Drake are in general use ; Drake Hen, at Linton-on- 

 Ouse ; Draker Hen, in Teesdale ; Corn Drake, in Ryedale 

 at Nunnington, and in the North Riding generally ; Corn 

 Rake, in the Hawes district ; Grass or Gress Drake in the 

 West Riding, at Huddersfield, Wilsden, Liversedge, and 

 Ackworth ; Land Drake, Grass Crake, and Hay Crake, at 



VOL. II. M 



