RALLID.1-:. 



5i« 



THE LITTLE CRAKE. 



PORZANA PARVA (Scopoli). 



This Crake — also called, from its colour, the Olivaceous Gallinule 

 — is, on the whole, a rare visitor to England, though in Norfolk at 

 least eleven authenticated examples have been obtained since 1809, 

 and a much larger number of such an inconspicuous species must 

 have escaped notice. Specimens have also been recorded from 

 Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire (several), Lanca- 

 shire, Cumberland (two), Oxfordshire, Middlesex, Kent (by Mark- 

 wick in 1 791), Sussex, Hants, Dorset, Somerset, Devon (several) 

 and Cornwall ; while other counties have no doubt been visited, 

 though the bird has not always been accurately distinguished from the 

 still smaller Baillon's Crake, next in order. As regards Scotland, a 

 specimen preserved by Thomas Edward of Banff in March 1852 is 

 in the collection of Mr. J. H. Gurney. In Ireland, the only 

 authenticated example is one which was shot at Balbriggan in 

 March 1854; a bird recorded under this name from Queen's Co. 

 having proved to be a Spotted Crake. There is no evidence that 

 the Little Crake has nested with us, and all its visits have been in 

 spring and autumn. 



This species is said to have bred in the south of Sweden, and 

 on migration has occurred in Denmark as well as once on Heligo- 



