NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 359 



=^ CAROLINA RAIL. 



CREX CAROLINA {LumcClis). 



One British record. A migratory species. What I 

 said of this example in Game Birds ajid Wild Foivl may- 

 very aptly be repeated here. " Naturalists for some 

 inscrutable reason decline to admit the Carolina Crake 

 as an established British species, but the known wander- 

 ing habits of birds of this family, in addition to the fact 

 of its occurrence in Greenland, is strong evidence in its 

 favour of having reached our islands voluntarily." 

 Habitat : Northern United States and Canada, as far 

 north as lat. 62°, in summer ; Southern States, Mexico, 

 Central America, and the West Indies in winter. 



PURPLE GALLINULE. 



PORPHYRIO CCERULEUS {ViindelH). 



Several British records. A sedentary species. There 

 can be no doubt that the individuals recorded had 

 escaped from confinement. Habitat : Italy, Spain, and 

 North-west Africa. 



GREEN -BACKED GALLINULE. 



PORPHYRIO SMARAGDONOTUS, TefUmiuck. 



Several British records. A sedentary species. There 

 can be no doubt that all the individuals obtained in our 

 islands are escaped birds. Habitat : Africa, with the 

 exception of the North-west, where it is replaced by the 

 preceding species. 



