THE RUDDY CRAKE. 219 



On showing oneself softly, most of the birds glide out of 

 sight, to re- emerge again if no further cause for alarm appears ; 

 but if a gun be fired unexpectedly, some rise and fly,— flying, 

 I think, rather more easily than the Spotted Crake, but still 

 heavily and with down hanging legs, — some dive, and some 

 scuttle away with extraordinary rapidity over the leafy 

 floor. 



In most of the places where I used to find them, there was 

 not a square yard of clear water, and I have only once therefore 

 seen them swimming, and that was in an open tank near Port 

 Canning, in which they seemed as much at their ease as Ducks, 

 swimming, however, with all the characteristic jerks of the 

 Water- Hen tribe. 



During the day they are generally to be found in the thick 

 herbage that fringes such pieces of water, or along the grassy 

 margins of wet crops, and, at any rate with dogs, seem 

 easier to find and flush than the others of their congeners with 

 which I am acquainted. Of course, like the rest, they thread 

 their way with great rapidity through the dense marsh growth, 

 as only clipper-built craft like these ever could, and always 

 run in preference to flying ; but still I think it is easier to flush 

 these than any of our other Crakes. 



In the case of these birds, I found that they had fed much 

 more on grain and seeds than from watching them at their 

 breakfasts one would suppose. 



All kinds of aquatic insects, little moths, mosquitoes, tiny 

 worms, larvae of sorts, grass seeds and small grains of various 

 kinds, and tender green shoots or leaves (and as usual a quan- 

 tity of fine gravel) constitute the contents of their stomachs, but 

 in very varying proportions, not only according to localities and 

 perhaps individual idiosyncracies, but according to the hour at 

 which they are killed ; and I came to the conclusion (I give it 

 for what it may be worth) that in the early morning, when out 

 in the open, they feed chiefly on insects, and that during the day, 

 whilst prowling about in the reeds and rushes or in rice and 

 other similar crops, they feed more on seeds and vegetable 

 substances. 



None of these birds afford any sport, none are worth much for 

 the table, but it is well to know that all will furnish a savoury 

 enough dish if, instead of plucking them, you skin them and 

 then soak the bodies for a couple of hours in cold water 

 (which should be changed at least twice) before putting them 

 into the stewpan, with onions and, if you can get it, sage. 

 Even Coots thus treated are excellent, and it is a thing well 

 worth knowing and remembering. 



The Ruddy Crake lays in suitable localities throughout the 

 outer lower ranges of the Himalayas during June and July 



