Land-Rail. 441 



bird which produces it has the remarkable power of the 

 ventriloquist in causing the note to sound now on this side, now 

 -on that, now under your feet, now at the farther end of the 

 field ; and many a hopeless chase, and many a bewildered and 

 baffled pursuer, has been the result of this peculiarity. When 

 uttering its cry the neck of the bird is stretched perpendicularly 

 upwards. Gilbert White speaks of it as having been abundant 

 in the low wet bean-fields of Christian Malford in North Wilts. 

 But, indeed, we may say it is very common at this day in all 

 parts of the county. In the South of France the peasants call 

 it Eoi des cailles, and in Spain it is known by the name of Guion 

 de las codornices, owing to an idea that it places itself at the 

 head of the Quails, and precedes them on their migrations.* 

 Harting believes that Corn-Crakes hibernate ; while Gilbert 

 White says it is poorly qualified for migration. 



Undoubtedly it is a difficult problem to solve how a bird which 

 flies so heavily and awkwardly across even one field can prolong 

 its flight from the other side of the Channel ; but it is certain 

 that other species of feeble r powers of flight do annually perform 

 the passage. Sir K. Payne-Gallwey, however, brings forward 

 proof which cannot be gainsaid, that Corn-Crakes do occasionally 

 winter in Ireland. He has himself twice found them, to all 

 appearance asleep, in the month of February, ensconced in the 

 centre of loose stone walls close to the ground, and has met with 

 several other instances of the kind. He has also evidence of 

 others, taken in a semi-comatose state out of a rabbit-hole.t 



The Rev. H. E. Delme Radcliffe writes me word that he 

 observed one in his garden at Tedworth on the remarkably early 

 date of April 1st, and that he saw it again and again in the very 

 short grass in his field ; and as it always ran back to the hedge 

 and ditch full of dead leaves, in which it crouched, he was able 

 to examine it minutely. On the other hand, Mr. W. W^yndham 

 gives me instances of its late appearance at Dinton : in 1881 



* Howard Saunders, fourth edition of ' YarrelPs British Birds,' vol. iii., 

 p. 139. 



f ' The Fowler in Ireland, 1 p. 251. 



