82 



WATER-RAIL. 



BILCOCK. BKOOK-BTJNKEB. ETJNXER. 



Rattus aguaticus, PENNANT. MONTAGTT. 



Rallus ? A quaticus Aquatic belonging to water. 



THE Water-Rail is, in Europe, found in Germany, France, 

 Holland, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and Malta, Iceland and 

 the Ferroe Islands, Norway and Sweden, though but rarely. 

 It has been noticed also in Asia, in Asia Minor and the 

 region of the Caucasus; and, Bewick says, migrates into 

 Africa in winter. 



It is not a plentiful species, except in the Fen counties, 

 but yet can by no means be called rare in suitable situations 

 in any part of the kingdom. 



This Rail frequents the sides of rivers, streams, water- 

 courses, pools, ditches, and ponds, and any swamps or marshy 

 places in their vicinity, where the strong vegetation gives it 

 shelter. 



In Cambridgeshire, the Rev. Leonard Jenyns relates that 

 it occasionally is met with near Bottisham, as it no doubt 

 is in many other parts in that district. In Norfolk it is 

 abundant; it breeds in several parts of the county, and remains 

 throughout the year. 



In Yorkshire, it is more or less commonly met with in 

 the neighbourhood of York, Burlington, Sheffield, Leeds, 

 Doncaster, Barnsley, Hebden Bridge, and Halifax, near which 

 place, namely, at Saltershebble, a young bird was shot. I 

 have seen them at Wansford, in the parish of Nafferton; and 

 in Berkshire, near East Garston. One was shot in the 

 neighbourhood of Blaydon Burn, in the county of Durham, 



