RACK.—The railed convenience constructed above the MANGER in a stable for the reception of the HAY is so called. It should be so formed, as to have alternate openings at the bottom, for the _dust_ and _seeds_ to pass through: and although it is become a practice exceedingly prevalent, to have the rack on one side, instead of the center of the stall, there is no good or rational plea can be advanced in justification of such innovation: on the contrary, it compulsively accustoms the horse to stand with his hind-quarters mostly on one side of the stall, by which his bedding is constantly and inevitably deranged almost as soon as it is set fair.
RAILS LAND,—are birds of passage, of a simply beautiful variegated plumage, in size about midway between a _whole_ snipe and a PARTRIDGE, partaking, in an equal degree of formation, between both, in respect to the shape of the body, head, and beak, which are in a direct line of mediocrity between the two. They are found singly in different parts of England (but very thinly scattered) in the months of July, August, and September, in the standing CORN and CLOVER, but principally in the latter, where, when found, they are prejudicial to pointers, by their incessantly _running_, while the dog continues _drawing_ (in a kind of walking pursuit) till patience being quite exhausted, the dog is induced to play the SPANIEL, and make a _springing_ effort before they can be forced to take wing; when once upon which, it must be a very _indifferent shot_ who does not bring them down. Though a very scarce bird in the centrical parts of the kingdom, (being much more plentiful in counties upon the coast,) they are exceedingly numerous in IRELAND, and particularly near the capital; there they are called CORN-CREAKS, found in every standing grass-field during the months of May and June, where corn-creak shooting is in almost equal practice with PARTRIDGE or SNIPE shooting in this country.
RAKING—is the old and ridiculous (or rather unnatural) custom of oiling the hand, and introducing it at the SPHINCTER of the ANUS, to extract the indurated dung, when the horse labours under severe inflammatory cholic, arising from previous constipation. The only reason adduced to justify the practice is, its being one means of obtaining _immediate_ relief; and if that relief could be readily obtained to _a certainty_, the adoption could not with propriety be so totally condemned. The fact is, that this custom, like many others in the _old_ code of VETERINARY LAW, is only a powerful shield for the protection of indolence; for one glyster would do more in liquifying and bringing away the hardened fæces, than _back-raking_ (as it is called) would effect in an hour: but one makes the _show_ of _business_, which is what the lower class of SMITHS and FARRIERS prefer in general, to the most useful and expeditious execution.