374 
rallim:. 
seen many on those strings of birds’ eggs which are hung 
up in the houses as a trophy of the bird-nesting exploits 
of the boys of the country. Mr. Salmon, from whom I 
have also received the egg of this species, informs me that 
two nests in his possession resemble those of the water- 
hen, and were placed in similar situations, one upon 
rushes floating on the water, the other upon a clump 
upon its margin. The eggs of this species are very much 
like those of the corncrake, and differ from them only in 
being nearly always less, with markings of a smaller 
size; they differ from each other in the size and number 
of the spots and are sometimes nearly spotless. 
