536 BRITISH BIRDS. 



the east coast of the United States, and, it is said, even to New Zealand. 

 The Corn-Crake has no near allies. 



The migration of the Corn-Crake into Europe begins in February and 

 March and lasts until the end of May. Irby says that at Gibraltar it is 

 most numerous in February ; but he has seen it as late as the 2nd of May. 

 It passes Heligoland every year in April and May, arrives in Holland 

 about the middle of May, but does not reach South Sweden until the end 

 of that month. It usually arrives in the south of England during the last 

 week in April, but does not appear to reach the northern counties and 

 Scotland until the beginning of May. 



The haunts of the Corn-Crake are very different from those usually 

 selected by the other species of this group of birds. It loves the dry 

 meadows and corn-fields, especially those through which rivers flow. In 

 many parts of the Highlands the Corn-Crake makes its appearance before 

 the grass or clover in the meadows is tall enough to afford it shelter, 

 and it retires to the tangled hedges and sunk fences, the dry ditches, and 

 even to large gardens and orchards. It is a very skulking, retiring bird, 

 and would be almost entirely overlooked were it not for its well-known 

 and monotonous note. The Corn-Crake is much commoner in certain 

 districts in some years than in others, and Dixon has observed that they 

 are generally most abundant in a wet season. Shortly after its arrival in 

 this country, and for some considerable time, it appears to be very restless, 

 and wanders about from one meadow to another, as if undecided as to its 

 choice of residence ; it may be heard calling lustily in a certain field one 

 day, and perhaps a week may elapse before it is again heard in the same 

 field. If the peculiar song of this bird be confined to the males, the 

 explanation probably is that they are seeking the females from field to field. 

 These actions continue until a nesting-ground has been chosen, after which 

 the bird keeps closely to the fields in the immediate neighbourhood of its 

 nest. It is very difficult to study the habits of this skulking bird, which 

 when it leaves the cover for a few moments is always on the alert, and at 

 the least alarm hides itself and hurries quickly off through the grass. If 

 in its wanderings it should chance to come near a place where the herbage 

 is not thick enough to hide it from view, it generally runs quickly over it 

 to the nearest cover, where it can pursue its way more leisurely. The 

 Corn-Crake is very fond of the hedges, especially those where the bottom is 

 choked up with bramble and luxuriant herbage ; and it is quite surprising 

 with what speed the bird will thread its way through them, always trying 

 to elude danger by running, and only taking wing when absolutely com- 

 pelled. When surprised in a hedge it often crouches close to the ground, 

 remains motionless, and almost allows itself to be touched by the hand ere 

 it starts off again. It is very seldom that the Corn-Crake can be flushed, 

 only when it is hard pressed by dogs or man ; it then rises in a very slow 



