GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 69 



is a dweller in marshes and fens. Like all its kindred it is 

 remarkably shy and retiring in its habits, keeping well concealed 

 amongst the vegetation during most of the day-time, venturing 

 out a short distance from cover during the hours of dusk and 

 darkness. It swims to and fro in the secluded reed-fringed pools, 

 now in and out amongst the rushes and water-flags, then out into 

 the more open water, where if it be surprised it dives with 

 remarkable swiftness, and under water hurries to the shelter of the 

 reeds. It is only flushed with the greatest difficulty, and then 

 flies in a slow, laboured manner with legs dangling down, and 

 drops into the nearest cover as soon as possible. Even when 

 hard pressed by enemies on land it always seeks to evade them 

 by running, only using its wings as a last resource. The call-note 

 of Baillon's Crake is a shrill but not very loud kik-ik-ik. The 

 food of this species consists principally of insects and their larvae, 

 small snails, and scraps of vegetable substances. It is said that 

 this Crake frequently catches insects as they flit by whilst it floats 

 upon the water, but whether it ever dives for food is not known. 

 Baillon's Crake sometimes flies round and round" above its haunt 

 at night, from time to time uttering its shrill note, just as the 

 Waterhen is wont to do. 



Nidification. — There can be little doubt that some nests of 

 Baillon's Crake are overlooked in the British Islands, where it is 

 more than probable it breeds every year. When we bear in mind 

 its remarkable skulking habits, the nature of the haunts it 

 frequents, and its small size, we cease to wonder how much it 

 is overlooked. In this country the breeding season of Baillon's 

 Crake appears to commence about the middle of May, and the 

 eggs are laid towards the end of that month or early in June. In 

 India, however, it breeds much later, laying in June and July in 

 Cashmere, and in July and August on the plains of Upper India. 

 In Europe its nest is placed amongst the reeds and sedges, often 

 a floating structure like the Coot's ; but in India the rice swamps 

 are its favourite breeding places. The nest is made of bits of 

 aquatic vegetation, loosely yet strongly put together, and rather 

 large for the size of the bird. Hume states that in India the 

 nests' are made of rush and weed, and are placed amongst rushes 

 and water-grass very little above the level of the water. The 



