556 THE KAILS 



and very general throughout Ireland, even on the small islands. Outside the 

 British Isles it has bred in the Faeroes, and on the Continent it is found in Norway 

 up to the Arctic Circle and in Sweden to Lapland, while in Finland it ranges up 

 to lat. 65, and in Russia to the Dwina delta and lat. 60 in the Urals. South- 

 ward of these limits it occurs in the pasture lands and meadows of Europe as far 

 as the Pyrenees, but apparently not in Spain during the breeding season ; while 

 in Italy it only nests in the northern provinces, and in the Balkan Peninsula is 

 unknown in Greece, and rare in Macedonia. In Asia it is said to breed in Asia 

 Minor and Palestine, but the latter seems to require confirmation : thence east- 

 ward through N. Persia, Transcaspia and Turkestan to the Altai, while it has 

 been recorded from the Lena and reaches lat. 59 on the Yenisei. During the 

 winter months most birds migrate south through Europe to Africa, where they 

 have been recorded south to Cape Colony and Natal ; while Asiatic birds move 

 through Afghanistan and Persia into Arabia. As a casual it has occurred in 

 Australia and apparently in New Zealand, North America, the Bermudas, Azores, 

 Madeira and the Canaries, and Greenland. [F. c. R. J.] 



3. Migration. A summer visitor. In the south of England the first 

 arrivals appear during the last ten days of April, in the north of England during 

 the first half of May, and in Shetland not until late in the latter month. The 

 immigration into England has been considered to take place solely on the western 

 half of the south coast (cf. B. 0. C. Migration Reports). Most of the birds have 

 left us before October, but a few sometimes pass the winter in Ireland, and even 

 in the Outer Hebrides and some parts of England (cf. Saunders, III. Man. B. B., 

 2nd ed., 1899, p. 507). It has been said that the landrail appears to arrive singly 

 on our coasts (cf. B. 0. C. Migration Reports, iv. p. 161), but large numbers are 

 sometimes recorded from the lighthouses, against the lanterns of Avhich the birds 

 are often killed (cf. B. A. Migration Reports). [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. In England the nest is generally found in mowing 

 grass or seeds, but in northern localities, where there is little cover, it may be 

 met with among clumps of the yellow iris or flag (Iris pseudacorus). It is said 

 also sometimes to breed among corn. The nest is a depression scratched out 

 in the ground, probably by the hen, and lined with bents, grasses, leaves, etc. 

 (PL LVIII.) When placed among grass the blades are curved inwards to form a 

 dome over the nest. The eggs are generally from 8 to 11 in number, though 

 clutches of 12 to 14 and even 17 or 18 are occasionally met with. The ground- 

 colour is buffish or reddish white, with underlying grey shellmarks, irregularly spotted 



