LXV. CORNCRAKE, OE LANDEAIL. 



(Crex pratensis.} 



THE nest of the Landrail is from nature, at Eoshven. The nest 

 among long grass, was visited daily, till one egg was hatching. 

 I carried it home, and made a drawing of the little, black, downy 

 young one. When it was half-way out of the shell it ate flies 

 out of my hand, picking them up as cleverly as if it were an 

 experienced fly-catcher. It seemed to have the power of measur- 

 ing distance, and taking a good aim, as soon as ever its head got 

 out of the shell. Very few other creatures are so precocious. 

 Chickens are able to pick up food pretty neatly, but they do not 

 begin to eat for the first twenty-four hours of their life. It 

 takes a baby a long time before it can judge distance even to 

 stretch out its hand and clutch anything and then it makes a 

 good many bad shots before it puts the thing into its mouth. 



After being drawn, the young bird, minus the shell, was 

 returned to the nest. More of them were beginning to hatch, 

 and next day all had left the nest. The attitude of the old bird 

 was taken from a live one I had in the house for a time, and 

 then let go. It went away in a stooping .position, threading its 

 way stealthily through the grass, and very soon disappeared. 

 While in the house it poked about into all corners of the room 

 trying to hide itself. 



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