LXXVII. 

 GALLINULA CREX. (temm ) 



Corncrake, Land Rail. 



The Corncrake is most frequent towards the northern part, 

 but is pretty generally spread throughout the whole of our is- 

 land ; it breeds also in the Shetland islands, where I have 

 seen it sitting upon the stone walls, on which it had a singu- 

 lar appearance. We also met with it in Norway. It makes 

 but a very slight nest of dry grass, and breeds in our meadows 

 amongst the long grass, where its nest is frequently exposed 

 by the mower ; the eggs are from seven to ten in number. — 

 I have seen some much more beautiful than the plate, the 

 spots large, and inclining to many colours. — Fig. 1. 



RALLUS AQUATICUS. (linn.) 

 Water Rail. 



Birds, like the present and the succeeding, are now so rare 

 in this country, their places of resort so few and confined, 

 and^ at the same time, difficult of access, that we have few 

 opportunities of knowing much of their habits or nidification. 

 To I. D. Salmon, Esq., I am indebted for the egg figured, 

 which is precisely similar to those contained in two other 

 nests in his possession ; they resembled the nest of the Wa- 

 ter-hen, and were placed in similar situations ; one upon 

 rushes, floating on the water, the other upon a clump upon 

 its margin ; the greatest number of eggs was seven. — Fig. 2. 



