538 



LITTLE CRAKE 



Porzana parva {Scopoli). 



Accidental visitant, of extremely rare occurrence. 



This bird nests on the Continent of Europe, and migrates 

 in winter to mid-Africa and Asia. 



The earhest notice of the Little Crake in Yorkshire is 

 apparently in a communication from W. Fothergill of Carr 

 End, near Askrigg, where it is stated that " The Rail us pusillus 

 of Gmelin {Gallimtla miniita of Montagu, and Gallinula 

 pusilla of Temminck), was shot on 6th May 1807, by Mr. 

 John Humphrey of Wensley, on the banks of the Yore, near 

 that place. It was alone, and suffered itself to be approached 

 very near without betraying any sense of danger. It ran with 

 great rapidity, carrying its tail erect." [Tr. Linn. Socy. xiv. 

 p. 583 ; Fothergill's List in Whitaker's " Richmondshire," 

 1823, i. p. 416 ; and Yarrell's " British Birds," 1843, iii. p. 16.) 



Thomas Allis's Report, in 1844, runs thus : — - 



Crex pusilla. — Little Crake — H. Reid tells me that a specimen 

 of this rare bird was taken alive at Cantley ; it ran into a tuft of grass 

 and was captured by a boy, and came into his possession about eighteen 

 years ago. The only other instance that has come to my knowledge 

 is the one shot on the banks of the Yore, and recorded in Yarrell's 

 " British Birds." 



The Little Crake is a rare casual visitant to Yorkshire, 

 and has been recorded on five occasions only, the particulars 

 being as follows : — 



The first is that referred to {ante) by W. Fothergill, 

 in 1807. 



On the authority of H. Reid of Doncaster, it is stated 

 to have been a migratory visitor to the " Carrs " near that 

 place, and Allis mentioned a specimen at Cantley about 1826, 

 which came into Reid's possession. 



In the year 1836 one was captured near Scarborough, and 

 was recorded by the late Prof. W. C. Williamson in the P.Z.S. 

 1836, iv. p. 77. 



The fourth example was caught alive on a canal boat 



