174 In Pursuit of the Trout 



rail will one day be as rare in the Broads 

 district as the spotted crake is to-day.' The 

 poor, nervous, diffident creature has enemies 

 enough and to spare without man molesting 

 it. Long may the water-rail find a safe 

 abiding-place in the valley of the Test ! It 

 is not, I am glad to say, by any means 

 peculiar to Bransbury Common and district. 

 Mr. Stewart, in his 'Birds of our Country,' 

 mentions having seen the bird by the Test, 

 and having found its nest and eggs on one 

 occasion. Four members of the family 

 Kallidce I found at Bransbury and in the 

 district during my few days' sojourn there ; 

 and I cannot help thinking that a fifth, the 

 spotted crake, may occasionally find a secure 

 home in the Test valley during the breeding 

 season. 



