376 BRITISH BIEDS. 



The Coot (Fulica atra) has a lobate foot, and is sooty-black in 

 colour, rather greyish above, with pink beak and a large white 

 bare patch on the head. The nests are huge floating structures, 

 often large enough to support a man. 



The Eails, of which the Landrail or Corncrake (Orex prateTisis) 

 is the best known type, are all noted for their running powers. 

 The corncrake appears in England in April in the south, later 

 as we proceed north. Pasture lands, especially when put up for 

 hay, are their favourite resorts ; but numbers also go to corn- 

 fields, where they feed off insects and weed-seeds. The nest is 

 placed in long grass and in standing corn, and is frequently 

 found in the former during mowing. Like aU the crakes, this 

 bird will feign death when captured. It runs with great 

 rapidity amongst the grass, and thus we hear its harsh note, as 

 it seems, all over the field. 



10. Charadriiformes. 



Plover, Snipe, Sandpipers, &c. (Limicol*). 



Of the four families of the Limicolse — the CEdicnemidce or 

 Stone Curlews, the Glareolidm or Pratincoles, the Charadriidce 

 or Plovers, and the ScolqpacidcB or Snipe, Woodcock, Stints, 

 Sandpipers, Eedshanks, &c. — the last two only need be re- 

 ferred to. These birds were at one time united with others to 

 form the order of "W&Aeis" (Grallatores). 



The Charadriidce or Plovers have the bill compressed at the 

 tip and seldom longer than the head. The toes are short and 

 the hind one (hallux) absent or very small. The plovers can 

 both run and fly fast. Their food consists mainly of animal 

 substance, such as worms, snails, slugs, and insects, which they 

 hunt for in meadows and marshes and on mud-flats. The 

 young are precocious. The eggs are laid with little nesting 

 substance on the ground. Some are partially migratory, such as 

 the Dotterel {JEudromias morindlus) and the Golden Plover (C 



