842 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



" jik-jik-jik." In breeding-season male supplements this cry by a 

 loud piercing and explosive scream. A low groaning note is also 

 uttered, and Miss Turner has described a continuous purring at the 

 nest. 



Breeding-habits. — Haunts reed-beds, swamps, osier-beds, banks 

 of rivers and lakes where there is thick aquatic vegetation. Nest. — 

 Sometimes well concealed in thick vegetation, but at times among 

 reed-stems close to water-surface in dense reed-bed and readily 

 seen at close-quarters, though nests may be a foot or two above 

 water hidden among dead broken-down reeds or sedge. Eggs. — 

 Usually 6 to 11, though 16 are said to have occurred, not unlike 

 those of Land-Rail, but paler and more sparsely marked, creamy- 

 white with a few deep red-brown and bluish-ash spots, chiefly near 

 large end — occasionally a blotch of brown. Average of 90 eggs, 

 35.44 X 25.75. Max. : 39 X 25.5 and 35 X 27.3. Min. : 31 .9 X 25 and 

 36.8x24.1 mm. Breeding-season. — From early April onward to 

 July. Incubation. — By both sexes, but apparently chiefly by 

 female. Period unknown. Probably double brooded. 



Pood. — Varied, including small fish (Bullhead, Coitus gobio), worms, 

 crustacea (small freshwater cray-fish), mollusca {Planorbis, Bithynia, 

 Helix, Pisidium, Zonites, etc.) ; insects, including coleoptera 

 (Hydradephaga, Geodephaga, Bembidium, Halticus, Stapkylinus, 

 etc.), neuroptera and larvae, phryganeidae and larvae, orthoptera, 

 and Notonecta ; also horse-leech, as well as vegetable matter and 

 seeds of Centaur ea, Car ex, etc. Oak " spangle " galls have also been 

 found in crops. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident, winter -visitor and 

 passage-migrant (2nd week March to first, and occasionally 3rd, 

 week May ; 2nd week Sept. to 3rd week Nov.). Breeds most marshy 

 districts, especially Norfolk and Ireland, but few records of nesting 

 in Scotland (all south of Grampians), and has not bred Shetlands, 

 and not for some years Orkneys. In winter commoner and more 

 widely spread. Migratory movements, presumably due to weather, 

 recorded Dec. to Feb. in some years. Passage-movements well 

 marked all coasts Great Britain and Ireland, but especially on west 

 coast Great Britain, where occurs in large numbers in some years, 

 e.g. March, 1911. Migration autumn and spring on south coast 

 England may indicate departure and return of some home-bred 

 birds besides passage of some migrants. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Europe generally, north as far as Iceland 

 (practically resident), Scandinavia, and Petrograd, south to Mediter- 

 ranean, N.W. Africa, and Egypt. Exact limit eastwards uncertain, 

 but birds from N.E. Asia and eastern parts of India (in winter) are 

 R. a. indicus, while form from Turkestan and E. Persia is B. a. 

 korejewi. Winters partially Iceland to central Europe, but more in 

 Mediterranean countries, Arabia, Persia, Turkestan, once N.W. 

 India. 



