l68 catalogue of birds. 



The Spotted Crake. 



I do not propose saying much about this species, 

 for I really know nothing about the bird myself, 

 never having met with it, but accepted it from Mr. 

 Hine, Naturalist, Southport, as I thought it a pity 

 not to make the case of Rails as complete as I 

 could. "This species, smaller in size than the 

 Land-Rail, is also a summer visitor to the United 

 Kingdom, but owing to the drainage of the fens and 

 the reclamation of marsh-land is far less plentiful 

 than formerly. It usually appears in May and 

 departs in October. Owing to its skulking habits, 

 the Spotted Crake is often supposed to be rarer 

 than is really the case ; though very local, it breeds 

 in East Anglia, the H umber, Trent, and Solway 

 Districts, Durham and Northumberland, as well as 

 in several of the southern counties and among the bogs 

 of Breconshire, in Wales. To Ireland it is a rare 

 visitor, usually in autumn" (Howard Saunders). 



The specimen, Mr. Hine tells me, was shot near 

 Ormskirk. 



CASE 33. 



THE GREYLAG AND BEAN GOOSE. 



Order, Anseres. Family, Anatidcs. 



The Greylag. 

 Of all the wild geese that are found in the 

 British Islands the Greylag is the only species that 



