400 BRITISH BIRDS. 



the ground : boughs overhanging the water are also favourite 

 resorts. The material mainly consists of dried sedge and reeds. 

 Sometimes the nests reach a foot or more in height when the 

 level of the water has risen, the birds adding to the nest to 

 stop it being flooded. As many as ten eggs may be laid, but 

 seven or eight is the usual number. They commence to build 

 early in March, and, as a rule, have two broods in the year, but 

 even three are not unusual. It is said that the young of the 

 first brood help the parents to prepare the second nest. Their 

 food consists of water-insects, slugs, snails, and various land 

 insects ; but at times they will attack seed-corn, and where very 

 abundant may now and then cause slight loss. 



The Coot (Fulica a/ra) 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 {Crex pratensi^) 

 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 all 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, cl-c. (Limicol.e). 



Of the four families of the Limicolae — the (JliUcnemida' or 

 Stone C'urlews, the O'larenJt'dir or Pratincoles, the Charadriid<r 

 or Plovers, and the fiifoloimrida' or Snipe, "\\'oodcock. Stints, 

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



