The nest is placed in a reed-bed or tussock of sedge, often entirely surrounded by water. It is formed externally of coarse weeds and lined with finer materials. The eggs, usually eight to ten, are olive buff, spotted and flecked with reddish brown. The young when first hatched are black and take to the water readily, swimming about with the ease of young Moor-hens. The male is greenish brown on the upper parts, the feathers having darker centres as well as a few small white spots; breast brown, spotted with white; rest of under parts grey; flanks barred with brown. This bird shows no great differences in plumage, the sexes and young being much alike. Length 9 in.; wing 4·5 in. THE LITTLE CRAKE Porzana parva, Scopoli The little Crake is a migrant breeding in Central Europe. To Great Britain it is a very rare straggler, and has only been taken about a dozen times, and only one instance is noted from both Scotland and Ireland. [Illustration: WATER-RAIL _Rallus aquaticus_] It is a rather smaller bird than the preceding species, from which it may be readily distinguished by the absence of spots on the throat or breast. Length 8 in.; wing 4·2 in. BAILLON’S CRAKE Porzana bailloni (Vieillot) This species has only been met with in these islands on the spring and autumn migrations; on one or two occasions it has been recorded as having bred in the eastern counties, but although there is no great improbability about this, British-taken eggs have never been thoroughly authenticated. On the Continent it breeds freely in Western Europe, from Holland southwards as far east as North Italy. In plumage it closely resembles the Little Crake, from which it may always be distinguished by having the outer web of the first primary white. Length 7 in.; wing 3·45 in. THE WATER-RAIL Rallus aquaticus, Linnæus This species is tolerably abundant throughout Great Britain wherever swamps and sedge or reed-beds are sufficiently large to afford it cover. It is most abundant in winter, when our native birds receive large additions from the Continent, especially during severe weather. During the breeding season it is very noisy, making a loud and peculiar noise, known in some localities as “sharming.” Extremely loth to take wing, but swimming, and diving with great facility, it is very difficult to get a sight of this bird, except during severe weather, when the cover is more scanty, and lack of food compels it to leave its usual haunts. The nest is placed in a thick tuft of sedge or reeds and is a deep cup-shaped structure of flags; the eggs are pale creamy white, flecked with a few reddish spots, and are seven to nine in number. The food consists of worms, snails, and other aquatic insects and plants.