Migration of Corncrakes. 303 
uplands. The cry of the crake in that locality is so 
common and so continuous as to form one of the most 
striking features of the spring: the farmers listen for 
them, and note their first arrival just as for the cuckoo 
—which it may be observed, in passing, even in 
England keeps time with the young figs. 
But when I had occasion to pass a spring in Surrey 
the first thing I noticed was the rarity of the crakes ; 
I heard one or two at most, and that only for a short 
time. Long before the grass was mown they were 
gone—doubtless northwards, having only called in 
passing. Iam told they call again in coming back, 
and are occasionally shot in September. But the 
next spring, chancing again to be in Surrey at that 
season, though constantly about out of doors, I never 
heard a crake but once—one singlecall—and even then 
was not quite sure of it. I am told, again, that there 
are parts of the county where they are more nu- 
merous : they were certainly scarce those two seasons 
in that locality. Now here we have an instance in 
direct contradiction to the suggestion that the early 
state of vegetation is attractive to our spring visitors. 
The crakes appeared to come earlier, in larger 
numbers, and to be more contented and make a 
longer stay in the colder county than in the warm 
one. 
The packing of birds is very interesting, and no 
thoroughly satisfactory explanation of it, that I am 
aware of has ever been discovered. It is one of the 
