292 



Adult Female (Hampstead, April). Differs from the male in being paler in colour, and lacking most of the 

 blue-grey colour on the throat and breast ; but the ash-grey stripe over the eye, and this colour on the 

 side of the head, are there. 



Adult in autumn (Hampstead, September) . Differs from the adult in spring dress in having the spots on 

 the upper parts smaller, the underparts paler, and the flanks less marked with rufous. 



Young Male (September). Resembles the old male; but the colours are duller, the chin brownish grey, the 

 upper parts are slightly darker, and the larger wing-coverts are slightly barred with white. 



Young in down (Boel, Jutland). Covered with close, rather short, deep-black down; a few obsolete dots of 

 white on the back, an irregular yellowish brown band along each side of the abdomen, and a light spot 

 on each ear. 



Throughout the whole of Europe and Western Asia the Corn-Crake is generally distributed, 

 ranging up nearly into the arctic circle during the summer season ; and in the autumn it migrates 

 into Africa as far south as the Cape colony. 



In Great Britain it is very generally distributed during the summer season, and breeds in 

 every county in the United Kingdom in suitable localities, being, however, probably more 

 common in the southern portions of England than elsewhere, arriving late in April or early in 

 May, and leaving again in September or October. In Scotland, Mr. Robert Gray writes (B. of 

 W. of Scotl. p. 331), the Corn-Crake " is found in every district, cultivated and uncultivated, on 

 the western mainland, from the Mull of Galloway to Cape Wrath, and also over the whole 

 extent of both groups of islands, and all the rocky islets of the west coast, extending to Heisher 

 rocks, the Monach islands, and St. Kilda." In Shetland, Dr. Saxby says, they " arrive in con- 

 siderable numbers about the end of May, and may be heard in every cultivated district through- 

 out the islands. At the time of their first appearance vegetation has made so slight an advance 

 that they are easily seen, being quite unable to conceal themselves among the short grass or 

 corn. I have killed them in autumn as well as in the spring, and have usually found them in 

 good condition at both seasons." In Ireland, as in England, it is a common and widely distri- 

 buted summer visitant. It has been stated by some American ornithologists that the Corn- 

 Crake is a constant visitor to Greenland : but this is certainly an error ; for Professor Reinhardt 

 writes (Ibis, 1861, p. 11) as follows: — "I am aware of one case in which this bird has been 

 misguided to Greenland. The specimen (an adult female) was obtained at Godthaab, and pre- 

 sented to the Royal Museum in 1851. Accordingly I have been somewhat surprised to see that 

 Mr. Cassin supposes (Reports of Expl. &c, ix. p. 751) the bird to be a constant summer visitor 

 to Greenland, while it really does not even occur in Iceland as a regular visitor." It is not 

 included by Professor Newton in his list of the birds of Iceland ; but on the Faeroes it is said to 

 be a not uncommon spring and summer visitor ; and Mr. Miiller informed Captain Feilden that 

 he received one from Hoidenor on the 5th October, and another from near Thorshavn on the 

 17th September. Mr. Miiller possesses eggs taken in the island of Sandoe. In Scandinavia it is 

 very generally distributed during the summer season. In Norway it breeds throughout the 

 lowlands up into the polar circle, and is common on the islands off Helgeland and at Bodo. It 

 also occurs all along the west coast from Jaederen up to the Trondhjemsfiord, and is met with on 



