r 31 8 ] 
A landrail *, when put up by the (hooter, never 
flies 100 yards i its motion is exceffively (low, whild 
the legs hang down like thofe of the water fowls 
which have not web feet, and which are known 
never to take longer flights. 
This bird is not very common with us in England, 
but is exceffively fo in Ireland, where they are called 
corn-creaks. 
Now thofe who contend that the landrail, becaufe 
it happens to difappearin winter, mud migrate acrofs 
oceans, are reduced to the following dilemma. 
They mud drd either fuppofe that it reaches Ire- 
land periodically from America ; which is impoflible, 
not only becaufe the paffage of the Atlantic includes 
fo many degrees of longitude, but becaufe there is 
no fuch bird in that part of the globe. 
If the landrail therefore migrates from the conti- 
nent of Europe to Ireland, which it mud otherwife 
do, the neceffary confequence is, that many mud 
pafs over England in their way Wedward to Ireland ; 
and why do not more of thefe birds continue with 
us, but, on the contrary, immediately proceed acrofs 
the St. George’s channel ? 
Whence (hould it arife alfo, if they pafs over this 
idand periodically in the fpring and autumn, that 
they are never obferved in fuch paffage, as I have 
already dated their rate in flying to be exceffively 
flow j to which I may add, that I never faw them 
rife to the height of twenty yards from the ground, 
nor indeed exceed the pitch of a quail. 
* Br. Zool. p. 387. 
I have 
