OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 71 



Habits. — The Spotted Crake is another late migrant to our islands, appa- 

 rently delaying its arrival until the cover it frequents is sufficiently dense to 

 afford it ample concealment. It usually arrives in May and leaves us again in 

 October, but it would appear that odd individuals occasionally remain behind and 

 spend the winter with us. The haunts of the Spotted Crake are fens, marshes, 

 and bogs — places where there is plenty of cover, in the shape of reeds, rushes, 

 flags, and other aquatic vegetation, and sufficient water in stagnant pools. Here, 

 like all its kindred, the Spotted Crake skulks close amongst the cover, only 

 venturing out on to the more open spaces when all is still, especially at night, 

 and hurrying back to its marshy fastnesses the moment it is threatened by 

 danger. Although excessively loth to take wing, it is occasionally compelled to 

 do so, and will then be observed to fly in a slow and laboured manner close to 

 the ground, with legs hanging down, and ready to drop into the first likely spot 

 which affords concealment. When hard pressed, either by man or dog, it will 

 sometimes take refuge in a hedge, or amongst briars, just like the Corn Crake 

 will do. In spite of its abundance in some localities, it is very rarely seen. It 

 sometimes leaves its reedy haunts at dusk, and may then be seen swimming 

 across the open pools of calm water from one thicket to another, or threading its 

 way, shadow-like, through the herbage. It is a very unsociable species. The 

 call-note of the Spotted Crake is a rather liquid whit. Its food consists of worms, 

 small snails, and insects, especially beetles, the tender buds and shoots of herbage, 

 and small seeds. 



Nidification. — The breeding season of the Spotted Crake commences in 

 May, and the eggs are laid towards the end of that month or during the first 

 half of June. The nest is rather bulky, and placed in the recesses of the reed- 

 beds or in a tuft of rushes, often entirely surrounded by shallow water. The 

 materials consist of bits of reed, rush, and other plants, all in a more or less 

 rotten state, the cup containing the eggs being lined with drier and finer matter. 

 The eggs vary from eight to twelve in number, and range from buff to very pale 

 green in ground-colour, spotted and speckled with pale and dark brown, and 

 underlying markings of grey. The markings are bold, large, and distinctly 

 defined, a character which, in conjunction with their green-tinged interior when 

 held up to the light, is sufficient to distinguish them from the eggs of any other 

 British species. They measure on an average 1'35 inch in length, by '9 inch 

 in breadth. Incubation, performed principally by the female, lasts twenty-one 

 days. The young follow their parents and take to the water shortly after they 

 are hatched : one brood only appears to be reared in the year. 



Diagnostic characters — Crex, with the general colour of the upper 

 parts olive-brown streaked with darker brown, and spotted with white ; with the 

 flanks barred white and brown ; the centre of the throat grey. Length, 9 inches. 



