RALLIIJ^. 



497 



THE LITTLE CRAKE. 



PORZANA PARVA (ScODOli). 



This Crake — also called, from its colour, the Olivaceous Galli- 

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

 at least eleven authenticated examples have been obtained since 

 1812, and a much larger number of such inconspicuous birds must 

 have escaped notice. Specimens have also been recorded from 

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

 shire, Cumberland (one), Oxfordshire, Middlesex, Sussex, Hants, 

 Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall ; while other counties have no 

 doubt been visited by it, though it 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 it has nested with us, and all its visits have been in 

 spring and autumn. 



The Little Crake is said to have bred in the south of Sweden, 

 and on migration it occurs in Denmark as well as on Heligoland. 

 It nests, somewhat sparingly, from Holstein eastward, along the 



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