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THE WATER-RAIL, 



although a shy and solitary bird, is sufficiently common in this 

 kingdom, but it is only seen during the winter in the northern 

 parts. It is found chiefly on the edges of ponds and rivulets, 

 much overgrown with sedges, reeds, and other coarse herbage, 

 among which it may find shelter on the appearance of an enemy, 

 and also feed in secret security : it runs, occasionally flirting up 

 its tail, through its tracks with similar swiftness to what the land 

 rail exerts in the meadows and corn-fields ; and also shews an 

 equal aversion to take flight as that bird does ; arid possesses 

 more means of disappointing the sportsman, whose patience it 

 generally exhausts, and distracts his dog, seldom rising until 

 after it has crossed every pool, and skulked through every avenue, 

 within the circle of its retreats : when once flushed, it is, how- 

 ever, easily shot, flying very indifferently, and with its legs hang- 

 ing down : it will, at times, take to the water, swimming tole- 

 rably well, and is often seen running on the surface, where there 

 are any weeds to bear it up. 



The eggs of the water-rail, according to Latham, are more 

 than an inch and a half long, of a pale yellowish colour, marked 

 all over with dusky brown spots, nearly equal in size, but irre* 

 gular. The flesh is of a delicious flavour. 



The length of the water-rail is twelve inches, breadth fourteen, 

 and weighs three ounces and a half; the bill is slightly curved, 

 one inch and three quarters long, of a dusky black colour, but 

 reddish at the base ; irides red ; the top of the head, hinder part 

 of the neck, back, scapulars, coverts of the wings and tail, are 

 black edged with dingy brown ; the under parts from the chin 

 to the middle of the belly, ash-colour ; in some, supposed to be 



