102 LANDRAIL SPOTTED CRAKE. 



ORDER FULICARLC. 



Family EALLIDM. 

 LANDRAIL OR CORN CRAKE (Crex pratensis). 



Migrant ; April to October. Somewhat local, but otherwise 

 generally distributed throughout the British Isles. 



Haunts. Cultivated districts, and very partial to low-lying 

 meadows. 



Plumage. Upper parts yellowish brown, with dark centres 

 to feathers ; areas above eyes and on cheeks ashy grey. Wing- 

 coverts and quills chestnut. Throat white. Breast huffish. 

 Belly and flanks well barred with brown and buff. Bill, legs, 

 and feet light brown. Length 11 in. Female, slightly smaller ; 

 less grey on head, and chestnut on wings. Young, like female. 

 Nestling covered with black down. 



Language. The well-known grating "crek-crek," like the 

 noise produced by drawing one's finger-nail across the teeth of 

 a comb. 



Habits. It lives on the ground, where, aided by its thin, 

 wedge-shaped body, it proceeds with great celerity through ^he 

 densest cover, consequently it is far more frequently heard than 

 seen. Always reluctant to take to wing, but if forced to do so 

 it flies clumsily and sluggishly, with dangling legs, and soon 

 drops into cover again. If occasion demands it will feign 

 death. Not aquatic like the Water Rail. 



Food. Small snails, worms, slugs, insects, lizards, seeds, &c. 



Nest. May or June. One brood. 



Site. On the ground, among some kind of growing herbage. 



Materials. Dead grass, leaves, and roots, lined with finer 

 grass. 



Eggs. Seven to ten. Reddish or buffi sh white, spotted and 

 blotched somewhat sparingly with red-brown and violet-grey 

 under-markings . 



SPOTTED CRAKE (Porzana maruetta). 



Migrant ; March to October. A regular visitor, but very 

 local and uncommon. Breeds in many suitable localities. 



Haunts. Marshy and swampy places. 



Observation. Distinguish from last by smaller size and 

 generally flecked appearance. 



Plumage. Upper parts olive-brown with dark centres, and 

 flecked all over with small white spots. Crown of head dark 

 brown. Eye-stripes and face grey. Breast brown, with white 

 spots. Belly greyish white; flanks barred with brown and 



