WATER RAIL. CORN-CRAKE. 181 



ing its further powers of pugnacity. Peace, was, however, 

 enjoyed by the quail some short time afterwards by the un- 

 timely fate of the water rail : one morning it was found with 

 its head protruding through the bars of its enclosure, and the 

 neck dislocated in its attempts to obtain liberty. 

 Indigenous. 



GENUS LXXXIX CREX (CRAKE). 



SPECIES 173 THE CORN-CRAKE. 



Crex pratensis. Bechstein. 

 Poule d* eau de genet. Temin. 



Land Rail. 



THE CORN-CRAKE is the only species in the order which has 

 had the attention of all classes directed to it, its attractive 

 call sounding so joyful at all times. Arriving on our shores 

 at the same time as the swallow and cuckoo, those birds 

 which add so many attractions to the summer, their migra- 

 tions have been well observed by the most heedless. 



Similar in habits to the water rail, the localities frequented 

 by it differ only in being situated in the vicinity of cultiva- 

 tion, the meadow and the pasture field, where it is so un- 

 willing to take flight, that it has been frequently captured by 

 dogs, when attempting to escape by running. The corn- 

 crake might have been classed with those birds limited 

 in occurrence in our island, were it not for the loud and un- 

 tiring repetition of its pleasing call-note. 



Generally punctual in its arrival upon our shores, the corn- 

 crake is seldom later in making its appearance than the first 

 week in May, although we have heard isolated individuals 

 calling as early as the 15th and 20th of April, yet these are 

 only cited as being unusually early appearances of the species. 



During summer few meadows or localities adapted to their 

 habits are without them, and in such vicinity to the city, that 

 we may hear their " call" in almost any of the suburbs. 



Interesting as any of the harbingers of summer are, the 

 appearance of the corn-crake is always looked forward to 

 with pleasure in the country. 



Appearing at a time when the earth would appear to have 

 prepared its haunts for its reception, the corn-crake is, as 

 we were told of it in the west of Ireland, u welcome as the 

 flowers of May" to the localities which are enlivened by its 

 call-note. This power, limited to the male, is uttered indif- 

 ferently when running or remaining stationary in the field. 



