water-rail. 
373 
GRALLATORES. 
RA LLl I) xR. 
WATER-RAIL. 
Rallus aquaticus. 
PLATE CV. FIG I. 
The Water-rail is so local, beino; almost confined to 
some of our marshy districts, and is in these its favourite 
haunts so difficult to find, hiding itself amongst the thick 
herbage, that very little has been known till lately with 
regard to its eggs and nidification. Montague describes 
the eggs as of a spotless white ; and Mr. Yarrell says, “ I 
have found the eggs of the Water-rail very difficult to 
obtain, and never possessed but two,—one from Norfolk, 
and one from Cambridgeshire, and never saw more than 
three or four others/’ 
Mr. John Hancock, of Newcastle, obtained several 
nests, and more than fifty eggs of this species, during an 
excursion which he made for that purpose through the 
fen district. One of these nest% now in his collection, 
is like that of the water-hen, constructed entirely of 
coarse flags. The eggs in each nest were from seven to 
ten in number. 
Mr. Wolley, to whom I am indebted for a large series 
of the eggs, tells me that they are so abundant in some 
parts of Cambridgeshire, that the dealers sell them for 
one-third less than those of the corncrake; that one man 
near Cambridge had no less than fifty; and that he has 
