BRITISH BIRDS. 
130 
ter Crake, it alfo flirts up its tail when runnings 
and flies with its legs hanging down, but is a better 
fwimmer. In the evenings, it creeps, runs, and 
fkulks by the margins of the waters, among the roots 
of the bufhes, ofiers, and longdoofe herbage which 
over-hang the banks, in queft of its food, which 
confifls of water infers, fmall fifhes, worms, aqua- 
tic plants and feeds. It is likewife granivorous, and, 
if killed in September or Odiober, after having had 
the advantage of a neighbouring flubble, its flefh is 
very good. 
. The female makes her nefi: of a large quantity of 
withered reeds and rufhes, clofely interwoven, and 
is particularly careful to have it placed in a mofl: 
retired fpot, clofe by the brink of the waters ; and, 
it is faid, fhe never quits it without covering her 
eggs with the leaves of the furrounding herbage. 
Pennant and Latham fay, fhe builds her nefl upon 
fome low ftump of a tree, or flrrub, by the water’s 
fide : no doubt fhe may fometimes vary the place 
of her nefl, according as particular circumflances 
may command, but fhe generally prefers the other 
mode of building it. She lays fix or feven eggs at 
a time, and commonly has two hatchings in a fea- 
fon. The eggs are nearly two inches in length, and 
are irregularly and thinly marked with rufl-colour-# 
ed fpots on a yellowifh white ground. The young 
brood remain but a fhort time in the nefl, under 
the nurturing care of the mother j but as foon as 
