THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 123 



COMMON COOT.— Fiiliea afra, Linn. 



A RESIDENT breeding species, having its head- 

 quarters at Slapton Ley, where Dr. Elliot states 

 that as many as two thousand have been shot in one 

 " drive.'' Mr. Mitchell has never seen the Coot in 

 the Tavistock district, but has met with them on 

 the Taw in North Devon. 



Order ALECTORIDES. 



Family Gruid^. 

 CRANE. — Orus communis, Beclist. 

 A RARE visitant. Dr. Moore states that in September 

 1826, a fine specimen was shot in the parish of 

 Buckland Monachorum, near Plymouth. It was 

 wounded in the wing, and made a desperate 

 resistance. Dr. Moore adds that it entered Drew's 

 collection (Mag. Nat. Hist. 1887. p. 322). This 

 bird appears to have been added subsequently to 

 the collection of the late Mr. Rodd, who states that 

 it had frequented the banks of the Tamar for some 

 time before it was shot (B. of C. p. 126). Mr. H, 

 Nicholls records that, in 1869, a Crane frequented 

 the high level fields near the Start Light House, on 

 five or six successive days. " It was very shy and 

 kept in the middle of the fields, frequently in 

 company with the sheep. A friend of mine shot 

 at it twice, but without effect " (Zool. 1869. p. 1866). 



