OR CORN CRAKE. 



217 



of the railroad car. It is named com crake, from 

 its noise, or call, " Creke, creke, creke," — which may 

 be heard " now here, now there, now everywhere, and 



THE LiND RAIL. 



now nowhere ; " and wherefore ? Simply, that the 

 bird is an uneducated ventriloquist, and deceives 

 you into the belief, that he is at any spot the farthest 

 from the actual one. In many respects, its habits 

 are similar to those of the water rail ; for though the 

 first seeks the thick grass meadows, and moist and 

 sheltered vales, yet are its preferences chiefly aquatic, 

 — taking to osier-beds, young grass, or grain in moist 

 places, and low-lying districts, before any others. 

 Here he will choose his position, uttering his "creke" 

 from a clod of earth, and you shall be running on 

 one side and the other, and ever so far away after his 



