LAND-BAIL. 69 



been made by rats; it penetrated to a great depth, but at 

 its termination, instead of rats, three Corn-Crakes were dis- 

 covered, as if placed there with the greatest care, not a 

 feather being out of its place, and apparently lifeless. The 

 birds, on examination, were however considered to be in a 

 torpid state, and were placed near a fire in a warm room. 

 In the course of a short time, a tremulous motion was 

 observed in one of their legs, and soon after, a similar 

 motion was noticed in the legs and wings of the whole, 

 which at length extended itself to their whole bodies, and 

 finally the birds were enabled to run and fly about the room.' 



These statements are fully corroborated by Dr. W. B. Baikie 

 and Mr. Heddle, who, in their 'Natural History of Orkney,' 

 mention that several have been seen there in winter; that 

 one was observed at Lopness, in December, 1812, another in 

 Ronsay, in February, 1847; and that upon several occasions, 

 when digging up old turf dykes, Land-Rails have been found 

 in them in a torpid condition. The hen bird has been known 

 to feign lameness, with the view of drawing away an approaching 

 intruder from her nest. 



This is an exceedingly good bird for the table, and, as such, 

 has come under the protection of the Game Laws. Thirteen 

 couple have been known to have been killed in one day in 

 Devonshire, fifteen couple in one day in Sussex, and seven 

 couple at the same place the following day. Mr. Selby 

 mentions his having shot eight or ten in the course of an 

 hour in a single field. Old Dray ton, in the 'Polyalbion,' 

 quaintly says of the Rayle, that it 'seldom comes but upon 

 rich men's spits,' and two are said to be a present for a 

 queen; but any very great value must not be put upon such 

 legendary assertions, for we have most of us heard, and 

 doubtless at the time we did hear it, believed, that 'four 

 and twenty Blackbirds' made a 'dainty dish to set before 

 the king.' Certain, however, it is that the bird before us is 

 of very superior quality. It is capable of being kept in 

 confinement. 



It flies in a slow manner, with the legs dangling down, 

 and in general just for a short distance, seeking only the 

 nearest sheltering covert. At times it perches upon walls, 

 shewing an awkward capability of climbing analogous to that 

 exhibited by the Water-Hen. It can run with almost incredible 

 swiftness, and threads its way in an astonishing manner 

 among the grass without any apparent disturbance of it. 



