120 THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 



and this was obviously a migrating bird (Migration 

 Report, 1885, p. 124). The Rev. G. C. Green 

 states that the Quail occurs occasionally near 

 Modbury. 



Ordee FULICARI^. 



Family Rallid^. 

 CORN CRAKE.— Crea; pratensis, Bechst. 

 A NUMEROUS summer visitant, nesting freely in our 

 mowing-grass fields, and shot in large numbers in 

 September. The Rev. M. A. Mathew writes under 

 date of October 30th, 1886, " At this time of the 

 year, I used frequently to flush landrails on the 

 coldest and most elevated bogs on Dartmoor, some- 

 times seeing five or six of a day." 



SPOTTED CRAKE.— Porsr«?« maruetta (Leach). 



An autumn and spring visitant, met with in sparing 

 numbers between August and November. Dr. 

 Elliot considers that it may be termed "rare" in 

 Devon. I have a specimen obtained at Crediton. 

 Mr. D'Urban records it as occurring on the Exe, 

 Mr. Gatcombe examined a few Spotted Crakes 

 killed near Plymouth in autumn, as also a bird 

 felled at Tavistock by the telegraph wires, a fate 

 that frequently falls to the lot of this species when 

 migrating. Montagu met with the Spotted Crake 



