196. THE CORNCRAKE.

Rallus Crex, LIN. La Rale de Cenêt, ou Roi des Cailles, Bur. Der Wachtel König, BECH.

Description. The fact that the Corncrake is common when the Quail is so, and vice versa—that it migrates at the same time in autumn, and returns with it in spring—is doubtless the reason why it is known in France and Germany by the name of the Quail King. It is ten inches in length, and about the size of the Missel Thrush. The beak is compressed at the sides; the upper mandible brownish grey; the lower flesh colour; the feet a light lead colour. The feathers of the head, neck, back, and tail are black, edged with reddish grey, which gives all these parts a spotty appearance, and produces on the back and shoulders five longitudinal black stripes. A grey streak passes above and below the eyes; and a reddish grey stripe runs from the root of the beak between them. The wing coverts and foremost pen feathers are brownish red; the neck and breast dingy grey; the belly white, striped with rust colour on the sides and vent; the rust coloured stripes being edged with dark brown. The female is pale grey on the breast, and the two stripes near the eyes are greyish white.

Observations.-The Corncrake is rarely seen on the wing; but the harsh cry of the male, arrp! shnarrp! may be frequently heard from the meadows in the evening and early part of the night. It feeds on insects and seeds; and in confinement thrives on bread and milk, or on wheat, barley, or millet. The female lays her eggs, which are from eight to twelve in number, and greenish grey, speckled with light brown, on the bare ground; and sits so steadily and constantly, as often to be killed by the scythe of the mower. The young when first hatched are covered with black down, and are not fully fledged for three weeks. In autumn they run among the oat stubble with the Quails, and may then be caught by the hand. The chirping of the Corncrake, when in confinement, is not unlike that of a chicken; and the arrp! shnarrp of the male is to me a very pleasant sound, when heard on a calm evening. At pairing time also, they make a purring noise like a cat; which, if the bird be taken in the hand, will appear to proceed, not from the beak, but the stomach.

197. THE WATER RAIL.

Rallus Porzana, LIN. Petite Rale d'eau, ou Maronette, BUF. Die Mittlere Wasser Ralle, BECH.

Description.-This bird is about the size of a Quail, and resembles the foregoing in form and habits. The beak and feet

are greenish; the claws long; the feathers on the upper part of the body blackish, edged with olive colour, and covered with small white stripes. The under part of the body is grey, spotted with white; and the two centre tail feathers are bordered with white.

Observations.-The Water Rail is a solitary bird, inhabiting the bulrushes and sedge on the banks of lakes, rivers, and pools. I never kept one myself, but Lieut. VON SCHAUROTH writes to me as follows, respecting one formerly in his possession. "It was exceedingly tame. At the slightest gesture from me, it would crouch motionless upon the ground; but it usually ran about the room, with outstretched head, and with great rapidity. If taken up, it would twist itself out of my hands like an eel. It eat the Nightingales' paste; but did not seem to like either worms or insects. It bathed many times a day, laying down on its side, as hens do in sand. Its cry may be represented by the word Seek! dwelt on for a long time; and it also occasionally uttered a barking sound like a young dog. This handsome bird was caught in a noose, near a warm spring, in winter. When it flew, which was very seldom, it was in perfect silence. It was very restless at night, especially if the moon were bright. It was sociable with other birds; and was exceedingly friendly with a Starling, which it soon allowed to stroke its feathers. It eats very little.'

Dr. MEYER of Offenbach has also several of these birds. They eat barley, groats, and milk, and seem particularly fond of millet.

X. WEB-FOOTED BIRDS.

The birds of this order are distinguished by their feet, which are webbed; that is, have the claws connected by a membrane. Some of them never leave the water; others unite in flocks, both in the water and on land. Many of them may be tamed, but I shall only enumerate six species, which may be kept in the aviary, and can live without water. They are tameable at any age.

198. THE SWAN.

Anas Olor, LIN. Le Cygne, Bur. Der Stumme Schwan, BECH. Description.This, which is commonly called the Tame Swan, I have chosen to denominate the Mute Swan, in order to distinguish it from the Wild or Whistling Swan; which is smaller, has no nob upon the beak, and carries its neck erect. The latter, which is found wild in almost all parts of Europe, and is very numerous in Siberia, is more commonly tamed in Russia than the species under consideration. If the posssessor

of a piece of water in Germany wishes to keep these birds throughout the winter, he chooses a pair of young ones, and cuts or otherwise disables the first joint of their wings. They will then be prevented from joining their comrades in the autumnal migration.

The Mute Swan is considerably larger than the Domestic Goose; as it often weighs from twenty-five to thirty pounds. Owing to its long neck, which it curves to the shape of the letter S when swimming, it measures four feet and a half, and from tip to tip of the expanded wings seven feet and a quarter. The beak is dark red, provided at the end with a black nail or claw curved inwards, and overgrown at the root, with a large round black knob. Between the beak and the eyes is a triangular, black, naked membrane. During the first year the feet are black; in the second, lead coloured, and afterwards, cinnabar red. The whole plumage is snowy white.

Observations. It is hardly necessary to remark, that the story of the Swan's dying song is an invention of the poets; and that the whistling Swan is the only bird of this species which is at all capable of uttering anything like a song. The structure of the larynx of the Tame or Mute Swan is so exceedingly simple, as to preclude it from producing anything more than a low hiss, a deep humming sound, and a gentle cackling. Its food consists of aquatic plants and insects, especially beetles; though in winter it must be fed with grain, and protected in some degree from the severity of the weather. The nest, which is built of sedge, rushes, &c., lined with the down from the breast of the female, generally contains six or eight greenish white eggs. During the period of incuba tion, which lasts for five weeks, the male keeps guard over the nest, attacks everything that approaches, and is, indeed, a very formidable assailant, as he is said to be able to break a man's arm or leg, by a blow of his wing. The Cygnets, when first hatched, are grey; and the bird is said to live a hundred

years.

The Swan is better worth the trouble of keeping than is sometimes supposed, not only on account of its beauty, but of the profit which may be derived from it. It requires less care and attention than the Goose, and its feathers are far more valuable. Large quantities of them are every year brought to the fair at Frankfort on the Oder, from Lithuania, Poland, and Prussia; and the wild Swans on the Spree, near Berlin, Spandau, and Potsdam, are generally collected in May, to be plucked. The skins, with the down on them, are also applied to the same purposes as furs, and are made into powder puffs. The Cygnets are considered a great delicacy.