98 RALLID^E. 



with the Landrail, however, this Spotted Rail is much less 

 numerous as a species, and more aquatic in its habits ; fre- 

 quenting the sides of streams and lakes which are covered 

 with thick reeds or rushes, among which it conceals itself, 

 and from the security afforded by the dense and luxuriant 

 vegetation of marshy grounds it is seldom moved without 

 the assistance of a good dog, accustomed to them and 

 their haunts. In all these Rails the bodies of the birds are 

 compressed, by which they are enabled to make their way 

 through dense herbage with facility ; their toes are also 

 long in proportion to the size of the bird, affording them a 

 firm footing, over mud or weeds, from the extent of sur- 

 face they cover, and enabling them also to swim with ease. 



In Ireland it is an occasional summer visiter. Mr. Dill- 

 wyn has mentioned three or four occurrences in Wales. 

 In England it is more frequently in the maritime counties 

 than in others ; and its appearance has been recorded in 

 Cornwall, Devonshire, Dorsetshire, Hampshire, and, in 

 fact, round the southern, and up the eastern coast, as 

 high as Durham and Northumberland. The Rev. Leonard 

 Jenyns mentions that this species has been met with in 

 the fens of Cambridgeshire by the middle of March ; and 

 Mr. Borrer, Jun. has noticed several occurrences in the 

 same county in autumn. The authors of the catalogue of 

 Norfolk and Suffolk Birds say, " there can be no doubt 

 that the Spotted Gallinule breeds in the marshes of Nor- 

 folk. We have seen a considerable number of its eggs 

 at Yarmouth, which, as well as its young, were found in 

 the neighbourhood of that place. We are also in posses- 

 sion of an egg taken from a female of this species which 

 was killed in the marshes below Norwich."" 



These birds probably breed in several other parts of 

 England, where they can find suitable localities ; and are 



