Birds. 6967 



Land Rail {Gallinula crex), "corn craig" or "crake" with us. 

 Very sparingly distributed here. It arrives generally at the begin- 

 ning of May, and departs usually in September, but I have seen it as 

 late as December. These birds often feign themselves dead, when 

 hard pressed, rather than fly, — a fact that may seem incredible to 

 those who have paid no attention to such things. I was myself 

 once completely baffled by a pair. Knowing they were in a small 

 hay-field close by, I wished to obtain them, but being unable to raise 

 them myself I got the assistance of a man and a dog. First the dog 

 was sent, but it did not make thein fly ; we then went in ourselves, 

 with a like result, but quite satisfied that they were still in the field. 

 In this we were correct, for we had not long left the field when both 

 commenced their "craik" again. At that time I was not aware of 

 their power of dissembling. On another occasion I shot one while it 

 was crying, and without seeing the bird. When shot it leaped about, 

 like a rabbit will sometimes when hit. I rushed to the spot, and found 

 it lying to all appearance dead. 1 picked it up, and was gratified at 

 finding it an excellent specimen, in first-rate plumage, and its ap- 

 pearance very little injured by the shot; in fact, it was just such a 

 specimen that I was in want of. The tip of one of the wings was 

 broken, and that was all. Leaving the field, and bringing with me 

 the bird, I sat down a little distance off". Having put a piece of 

 cotton wadding down its throat and some rum to the wound, I laid it 

 carefully down beside my gun. I had only sat a few minutes when a 

 gentleman who was passing asked me what I had shot. I told him. 

 " I am glad of that," said he, " for I have never seen one, although I 

 have often heard them when out walking in summer." " Oh, well," I 

 said, " you shall see as pretty a one as eyes ever beheld," at the same 

 time turning round with something like energy to where the (as I 

 thought) dead bird lay, in order to show it to the gentleman. Need 

 I tell the sequel ? " It's awa', sir." " What ! " said the gentleman, 

 " away ? " " Then, it could not have been dead, as you led me to 

 believe." " It's awa', sir," I again said ; " an' fat's mair, I can 

 assure ye it wis dead. I shot it dead ; but, confound it, it's awa' for 

 a' that, cotton wadding an' a' ! " Yes, it was fairly off", and I was 

 tricked ; there is no doubt of that. Is it possible that these birds 

 remove their eggs on its coming to their knowledge that then nests 

 have been discovered? I knew of a nest which contained seven 

 eggs. I took one, and, wishing to get all that the hen would lay, left 

 the remainder untouched ; I also carefully obliterated all my foot- 

 marks, to prevent others from suspecting anything if the nest was 



