CORN-CRAKE or LAND-RAIL, 
CREX PRATENSIS, Bechst. 
Crex pratensis, Bechstein, Ornith. Taschenb. p. 337 (1803) ; 
Naum. ix.p.496; Macg.iv. p.527; Hewitson, u. p. 372 ; 
Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 1387; Dresser, vii. p. 291. 
Rdle des prés, French ; Wiesen-Ralle, Wachtel-Konig, Ger- 
man; Rey de las Codornices, Spanish. 
I have advisedly put the name by which this bird is 
best known at the head of this article, as I have no 
doubt that many who are perfectly well acquainted with 
it as the Corn-Crake are not aware that it has another 
name; whilst to many the word Corn-Crake simply 
conveys a curious sound produced on summer evenings 
by an unseen and mysterious creature that seems to be 
possessed of the power of being in different places at 
the same time. 
This bird arrives in England generally about the 
third week of April, and, from that season, is to be 
heard in all suitable localities for the following three 
months; in most of our English arable and meadow 
lands the Corn-Crake is seldom to be seen unless 
specially searched for with dogs; but in the west of 
