WATER-RAIL.
CWTIAR, Tl FROM WEN. RHEGEN Y DWFR, OF THE ANCIENT BRITISH.
BILCOCK. BROOK-RUNNER. RUNNER.
Raiius aquaticus, PENNANT. MoNTAGU.
Rallia.— ? Aqualicus—Aquatic—belonging to water.
THE Water-Rail is, in Europe, found in Germany, France, Holland,
Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and Malta, Iceland and the Ferroe Islands,
Norway and Sweden, though but rarely. It has been noticed also in
Asia, in Asia Minor and the region of the Caucasus; and, Bewick
says, migrates into Africa in winter.
I t is not a plentiful species, except in the Fen counties, but yet
can by no means be called rare in suitable situations in any part of
the kingdom.
This Rail frequents the sides of rivers, streams, water-courses, pools,
ditches, and ponds, and any swamps, or marshy places in their
vicinity, where the strong vegetation gives it shelter.
I n Cambridgeshire, the llev. Leonard Jenyns relates that it occasionally
is met with near Bottisham, as it no doubt is in many other
parts of that district. In Norfolk it is abundant; it breeds in several
parts of the county, and remains throughout the year.
I n Yorkshire, it is more or less commonly met with in the neighbourhood
of York, Burlington, Sheffield, Leeds, Doncaster, IWnsley,
Hcbden Bridge, and Halifax, near which place, namely, at Saltershebble,
a young bird was shot. I have seen them at TVansford, in the parish
of Nafferton; and in Berkshire, near East Garston. One was shot
in the neighbourhood of Blaydon Burn, in the county of Durham,
in January, 1854, John William Bell, Esq. informs me, a single
specimen only having been heard of about there before. In Lincolnshire
it breeds at Tetney. In Devonshire it is not uncommon in winter.