THE LANDRAIL.] 



SHOOTING, 



[the landrail. 



During these seasons it only removes from one 

 boggy locality to another ; but when severer 

 frosts set in, it betakes itself to the salt-marshes 

 and sea-shores. The flesh of the godwit is 

 highly esteemed by epicures, and sells at a high 

 price. 



THE WHEAT-EAR. 



This small bird is known in the Linnoean 

 System as the Motacilla (Enanthe, and is 

 often shot on Brighton Downs : it is taken 

 in some neighbouring localities in great num- 

 bers. This is accomplished by means of two 

 turfs placed on edge, at each end of which 

 a small horse-hair noose is fixed to a stick, 

 which the bird, either in search of food 

 or to evade a storm of rain, attempts to get 

 under, and is caught. Colonel Montague 

 gays — " In confinement they are almost con- 

 tinually in song, and sing by night as well as 

 day ; they have a very pleasant, variable, and 

 agreeable song, difi'erent from all other birds : 

 sometimes it is very loud ; and they continue 

 it a great length of time, not continually break- 

 ing off like a robin-redbreast and some other 

 birds ; but their winter song is best and most 

 varied." In allusion to the migratory habits of 

 this bird, Miss Charlotte Smith has written 

 Bome beautiful lines ; but we have room only 

 for one stanza, which is sufficient to indicate 

 the happy spirit in which they were com- 

 posed: — 



" From that deep-sheltered solitude 

 Where, in some quarry, wild and rude, 

 Your feathered mother reared her brood, 



Why, pilgrim, did you brave 

 The upland winds, so bleak and keen, 

 To seek these hills, whose slopes between, 

 Wide stretched in grey expanse, is seen 



The ocean's toiling wave?" 



THE LANDRAIL. 



The landrail is also called the corncrake, 

 and is the Ealhis Crex of Linnseus. Bewick 

 describes it as rather more than nine inches 

 long, and its general bulk of body as consider- 

 ably compressed. The bill is light-brown, and 

 the eyes hazel. Most of the feathers on the 

 upper part of tlie plumage are of a dark-brown 

 hue, edged with pale rust ; both winged 

 coverts and quills are of a deep chestnut 

 colour. Tho fore part of the neck and breast 

 are pale and ash, and a streak of the same 

 572 



colour extends over each eye, from the bill to 

 the side of the neck. The belly is a yellowish 

 white, and the thighs, sides, and vent, are 

 marked with faint rusty-coloured bars. The 

 legs are a pale flesh-red. 



The landrail is migratory in its habits, and 

 makes its appearance in this island about 

 April. Corncrakes, says Mr. Daniel, " are 

 plentiful in these realms, and in Ireland par- 

 ticularly so, where it is probable they pass the 

 winter. They are in the greatest plenty in 

 the Isle of Anglesea, where they appear about 

 the third week in April, supposed to come 

 there from Ireland. At their first arrival it 

 is common to shoot seven or eight in a morn- 

 ing. They abound in the county of Caith- 

 ness, in Scotland, and are found in most of 

 the Hebrides and the Orkneys. Few places 

 in England are destitute of them in summer ; 

 but they are nowhere what may be called 

 common. It is observed, that wherever quails 

 are in plenty the crake abounds. On their 

 first appearance in England, they are so lean 

 as to weigh less than six ounces ; but, before 

 their departure, have been known to exceed 

 eight, and are very fat. Their flesh is con- 

 sidered excellent." 



The cry of the landrail is well known, aud 

 when once heard, cannot be readily forgotten. 

 It shelters among the long grass, and is rarely 

 seen, for it invariably hides among the thickest 

 parts of the herbage, aud runs so quickly, that 

 it is, in nine cases out of ten, impossible to 

 overtake it. "When hard pressed by a dog, it 

 will sometimes instantaneously stop aud squat 

 down, by which device the dog runs past, and 

 loses the trace of it. It seldom springs but 

 when driven to extremity, and generally flies 

 with its legs hanging down, but never to any 

 great distance. When it alights, it begins to 

 run with surprising speed; aud before the 

 fowler gains the spot, is far out of his reach. 



The nest of the bird is formed of dry grass, 

 a few soft leaves, and a little moss mixed up 

 with the whole. It is commonly imbedded in 

 some hollow part of the surface of the ground, 

 but occasionally is met with on high and even 

 places. The female lays ten or twelve eggs, of 

 a dull white colour ; and the young, as soon as 

 they escape from the shell, are capable of run- 

 ning with wonderful swiftness. 



The landrail departs from England before 



