1*3 



Marsh in April, 1866, the nest and eggs being 

 taken in a reed-bed near Hickling Broad in June, 

 1873. 



SCLAVONIAN GREBE. (SUMMER). 

 Case 269. 



I have met with this Grebe at various times 

 during spring and winter all round our shores, 

 from Sussex to Sutherland. 



The specimens in the case were shot in Ross- 

 shire in April, 1869, the male being killed on Loch 

 Slyn and the female on the Dornoch Firth. A 

 perfectly snow-white Grebe, which I believe to 

 have been of this species, was in company with 

 the male when that bird was obtained, but the day 

 being exceedingly stormy it was lost sight of in 

 the broken water. 



LAND RAIL. 

 Case 270. 



The land Rail, or Corncrake, is widely dis- 

 tributed over the British Islands, being remarkably 

 plentiful in the cultivated portions of some of the 

 Highland glens, though, as it generally takes its 

 departure before the crops are sufficiently cleared to 

 permit of shooting, its presence, owing to its 

 skulking habits, would seldom attract attention 

 were it not for its monotonous croaking note. I 

 have at times fallen in with these birds in great 

 numbers while Partridge-shooting in Sussex early 

 in September, on one occasion bagging eight and a 

 half couple in about two acres of clover. 



I was greatly surprised one summer, when fish- 

 ing on the Lyon in Perthshire, to see a Land Rail 

 which my retriever had disturbed run down to the 

 bank of the river and without pausing a moment 

 drop quietly into the water and strike boldly out 

 for the opposite shore ; in less than a minute the 



