354 NATURAL HISTORY. 



Family V. . . Rallidse. 



Sub-family a. . Rcdlince. 



ORTYGOMETRA. (Gr. 'OpTvyo/Lujrpa, migrating with the Quails; the 

 Landrail.) 



Crex (Gr. Kpe, a Crake ; derived from its cry), Corncrake or Landrail. 



can be so exactly imitated by drawing a quill sharply across 

 the teeth of a comb, that the bird may be decoyed by the 

 sound until quite close to the operator, The Corncrake is so 

 averse to rising on the wing, that a dog is frequently employed 

 to hunt it. The young when taken feign death with admirable 

 accuracy, nor do they move until they imagine that the in- 

 truder is safely out of the way. 



The nest of the Corncrake is by no means uncommon. It 

 is formed of hay, collected and worked into some depression 

 in the ground, and contains from eight to twelve eggs of a 

 greyish yellow, covered with dark brown spots. The length 

 of the bird is about nine inches. 



THE WATER-HEK 



The WATER-HEN, or MOOR-HEN, is very common along the 

 reedy banks of rivers and ponds. It is very widely distributed, 

 being found in almost all parts of the old world. It swims 



