KALLID^E. 445 



This at once shows the great difference in the 

 breadth of the flat portion of the breast-bone, in 

 proportion to the size of the three birds, there being 

 only half an ounce difference in the weight, and that 

 in favour of the Water Rail, and one inch and a half 

 difference in the whole length, also in favoui ol 

 this bird, while the breadth of the breast- bone is 

 four lines and a half less than that of the Snipe, and 

 four lines less than that of the Fieldfare. 



The food of the Water Bail consists of worms, 

 snails, slugs, aquatic insects and the smallest frogs. 

 Dr. Saxby says he found in the stomach of one the 

 fibres of plants, small stones and the mandibles of 

 some beetles. Meyer says that he kept one in con- 

 finement for some time, but it never became very 

 tame : it was fed upon bread and milk and chopped 

 raw meat, and occasionally worms. 



The nest is usually placed in wet situations 

 amongst thick rushes and rank herbage, and some- 

 times in willow-beds : it is made of sedge and coarse 

 grass, but is generally carefully hidden and difficult 

 to find. 



The Water Rail differs from the rest of the 

 British Rallidse in the shape of its beak, which is 

 long, narrow and slightly curved downwards : it is 

 red, darker on the upper than the lower mandible ; 

 irides hazel ; the feathers of the head, neck, back, 

 scapulars, rump and tail-coverts black in the centres, 

 broadly margined with olive-brown j wing-coverts 



