OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 63 



drooping down. I have known this bird, when lured by a call, 

 to fly from the grass and perch for a few moments on the top of 

 a hedge. In the late summer, when the grass is cut for hay, and 

 the clover crops have been cleared off, the Corn Crake frequently 

 hides itself amongst the standing corn, or in the turnip-fields. It 

 may then often be watched upon the bare pastures, where it strays 

 to feed, running from the cover through the hedge on to the 

 grass. Here it walks about in true Rail style, ever and anon 

 raising its head and looking warily around. At the least alarm it 

 runs back into the hedge, where it skulks until all is quiet again, 

 and then comes out once more. I have known this species to 

 feign death in an astonishingly realistic manner. The food of this 

 species is composed of worms, snails, and insects, especially small 

 beetles, the tender shoots and ends of herbage, and various small 

 seeds. It feeds the most in the early morning, or at dusk, and 

 during the night — a period, by the way, which is also selected for 

 its migrations. 



Nidification. — The Corn Crake pairs soon after its arrival ; 

 until this event takes place it is a remarkably restless species, 

 but as soon as mating has taken place it becomes much more 

 sedentary. The eggs are laid according to latitude and the state 

 of the season, either the end of May or during the first half of 

 June. The somewhat elaborate and neatly formed nest is placed 

 on the ground, usually amongst the mowing grass, less frequently 

 in growing corn. It is made externally of dry grass and withered 

 leaves, and neatly lined with fine grass, often much of it nearly 

 green. Although this species, so far as is known, is strictly mono- 

 gamous, and not at all gregarious, I have known a couple of 

 nests within a few yards of each other ; whilst it is no uncommon 

 thing to find several nests in the same field. The eggs are from 

 eight to twelve in number, and range from pale buff through 

 cream' white to very pale blue in ground colour, sparingly 

 spotted and blotched with reddish brown and violet-gray. A 

 pale blue egg is not unfrequently found in a clutch of the usual 

 colour. They measure on an average i'4 inch in length by 

 I -I inch in breadth. The first egg is often sat upon as soon as 

 laid, and incubation lasts from twenty-one to twenty-four days. 

 I have known this species remove its eggs when the nest has been 



