68 THE GAME BIEDS AND WILD FOWL 



Habits. — The migrations of the Land Eail, or Corn Crake, both in spring 

 and autumn, extend over a remarkable length of time. The bird begins its entry 

 into Europe as early as February, and continues to arrive through March and April 

 until nearly the end of May. It arrives in the south of our islands towards the 

 end of April, but in the northern districts it is a week or so later. Odd birds have 

 been known to spend the winter in our area. Its return migration in autumn 

 begins in August and September, and lasts over October. The haunts of the 

 Corn Crake are hay meadows and grain fields, both dry and swampy localities 

 being frequented, the bird showing little or no partiality in this respect. I have, 

 in Devonshire, remarked its partiality for osier-beds, especially such as are clothed 

 with a rank undergrowth of grass and weeds. Soon after its arrival it wanders 

 about a good deal, and then frequently visits less suitable places, or remains in 

 them from necessity until the cover in its more usual haunts is sufficiently dense. 

 No bird is more skulking in its habits or more loth to take wing. It always prefers 

 to hide in the dense cover and remain motionless until the danger has passed, or 

 to run with wonderful speed to a safe nook. The arrival of the Corn Crake is 

 very soon proclaimed by the bird's rasping cry, which sounds from the meadows 

 most persistently, especially during night. This loud, harsh note, which I con- 

 sider is confined to the male, may be easily imitated by drawing a knife-blade 

 smartly across the teeth of a stout comb. It is usually uttered twice, one after 

 the other, then a pause, and then repeated. It has also been known to call as 

 it flew from one field to another, evidently under sexual excitement, and eager 

 either to meet a female or a rival. The note ceases in August, and for the 

 remainder of its stay the Corn Crake is a silent bird. Soon after arrival this 

 Crake wanders about from farm to farm, especially at night, and seems to be 

 exploring all the country-side in quest of a suitable haunt. When this choice is 

 made, however, the bird rarely wanders more than a field or so from home until 

 it departs southward in autumn. The Corn Crake lives upon the ground, keeping 

 close to the herbage, and only venturing into the open when all is quiet. It is 

 flushed with the greatest difficulty, rarely indeed a second time, and flies in a slow, 

 laboured manner, with legs held drooping down. This bird, when lured by a 

 call, occasionally flies from the grass and perches 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 Eail 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, and has been known 

 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 



