CORN CRAKE. 269 



escape. It has even been known on one or two 

 occasions to feign death. In corroboration of this 

 Jesse relates the following anecdote : " A gentleman 

 had a Corn Crake brought him by his dog, to all 

 appearance lifeless. As it lay on the ground he 

 turned it over with his foot, and felt convinced that 

 it was dead. Standing by, however, in silence, he 

 suddenly saw it open an eye ; he then took it up, its 

 head fell, its legs hung loose, and it again appeared 

 quite dead. He then put it in his pocket, but, before 

 long, he felt it all alive, and struggling to escape. 

 He then took it out ; it was as lifeless as before. 

 Having laid it again on the ground, and retired to 

 some distance, the bird, in about five minutes, warily 

 raised its head, looked around, and decamped at full 

 speed." The body of this bird is very high on its 

 legs ; it has a long neck and large head. The plumage 

 is very handsome, the upper parts being yellowish 

 grey, each feather having a blackish brown centre, 

 the wings are brownish red, spotted with yellowish 

 white, under parts slate grey, shading into buffish 

 white. 



The nest is placed in the meadows or sometimes in 

 a corn field ; several nests are often found in the same 

 field. It is built of dry herbage, stalks and grass, placed 

 in a slight hollow in the ground, and lined with finer 

 grass. 



The eggs, seven to ten, are buffish or creamy white 

 in ground colour, spotted and blotched with reddish 

 brown and purplish grey marks. They are very 

 similar to eggs of the Water Rail, but are generally 

 more thickly marked. 



The Land Rail is considered a very delicate and 

 savoury article of food. It can be kept in confinement. 



