EALLID^ OBEX 247 



the Yenesei during the northern summer. In the autumn it 

 migrates southwards and winters in Arabia and throughout Africa. 

 Within our area it is most common in the northern portion. It is 

 stated by Marshall to be plentiful in Mashonaland, but in Cape 

 Colony it is certainly a rare bird and seldom met with. It usually 

 arrives late, i.e., in December, and stays till March. 



The following are recorded occurrences : Cape Colony — Cape 

 division, only once, in 1864 (Layard), near Grahamstown (Ather- 

 stone), East London, January (Eickard), King William's Town, 

 " early in the year " (Trevelyan) ; Natal — Pinetown, March (Ayres), 

 Drakensberg, December (Buckley), Zululand (Bt. Mus.) ; Trans- 

 vaal — Barberton, December (Kendall), Macamac, in Lydenburg, 

 December (Barratt, in Bt. Mus.), Potehefstroom, March (Ayres) ; 



Fig. 77. — Head of Crex pratensis. x {^ 



Bechuanaland — ilear Palapye, December (Ayres), Tati, March 

 (Gates) ; Ehodesia — near Salisbury (Marshall), Zambesi Valley, 

 near Peira (Stoehr, in S. A. Mus.), at Metacania, January 

 (Alexander). 



Habits. — The Corn Crake or Land-Eail does not appear to be 

 anywhere very common, and only occurs in South Africa during the 

 summer months, from December to March. It is generally found 

 lurking in long grass and is difficult to flush. It runs with great 

 speed and is said by Ayres to endeavour to escape the pursuit of 

 dogs by taking considerable leaps up into the air over the grass 

 with closed wings, thus breaking the line of scent. The power of 

 flight is stated to be feeble, but yet we know that it makes a double 

 journey every year of about 6,000 miles. Its food consists of 

 insects. Both Buckley and Marshall notice that they have not 

 heard the characteristic creaking call-note of the male in South 

 Africa ; probably it is only made use of during the breeding season 

 in northern lands. 



