GALLINULIN^E. CREX. 113 



210. CREX PRATENSIS. CORN CRAKE. 



Plumage of the upper parts dull yellowish-red, streaked 

 with brownish-black ; wing-coverts light red, some of them 

 imperfectly barred with white ; lower parts pale yellowish- 

 red, the throat and abdomen brownish-white ; the sides and 

 breast barred with light red and white ; the lower wing-co- 

 verts and axillar feathers light red ; bill light brown, feet 

 flesh-coloured. 



Male, 10|, 18, 6, tf, 1 T V, 1 T ' T , T V Female, 10 J, 17*. 



This species, which, although seldom seen, is often heard, 

 arrives in the beginning of summer, and departs early in Sep- 

 tember. It is generally distributed, occurring in abundance 

 in the most northern parts of Scotland and its islands, as well 

 as in England. Its well known cry of Crek-crek, repeated 

 often for a long time in continuance, or at intervals, and heard 

 as if at varying distances* is emitted while the bird is stand- 

 ing in a half-crouching attitude, with the neck moderately 

 extended. The ordinary haunts of this species are fields of 

 corn and grass, and in the less cultivated parts of the country 

 the large patches of yellow iris, and other tall herbaceous 

 plants which occur in moist places. It prefers dry or mode- 

 rately moist to wet ground, and does not betake itself to 

 marshes, although it is often met with by the sides of brooks. 

 Its food consists of insects, worms, slugs, and sometimes 

 seeds. It is strictly diurnal in its habits, but may be heard 

 late at night and before dawn. Its cry is well imitated by 

 rubbing the thin edge of a bone, the rib of, a horse or cow, 

 upon the notched edge of another, and in this way it may be 

 enticed within shooting distance. Its nest is composed of a 

 few straws, laid in a slight hollow, among corn, grass, or tall 

 weeds. The eggs of an elongated oval form, light cream- 

 colour, patched, spotted, and dotted with brownish-red and 

 light purplish-grey, and generally about eight or ten, two 

 inches and one-twelfth in length, an inch and four-twelfths 

 in breadth. The young, covered with down of a blackish 

 colour, run with surprising speed. Toward the middle of 

 July it ceases to utter its cry. I have seen young birds re- 

 maining until the end of September, and instances of their 

 having been shot in winter have occurred in various parts of 

 the country. The flesh is white, and affords delicate eating. 

 Corn Crake. Land Rail. Land-hen. Daker-hen. Corn 

 Cracker. 



Ballus Crex, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 261. Gallinula Crex, 



