196 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



Family — Rallid^. 



Baillon's Crake {Crex Baillonii). This bird, 

 which was named after M. Baillon, who found it 

 in the marshes of Picardy, is of rare occurrence in 

 Britain. A single specimen was shot near the town 

 of Newbury, in Berkshire, several years ago, but I 

 have been unfortunately unable to gain any further 

 information respecting it. 



Carolina Crake {Crex Carolina). The follow- 

 ing note in the Zoologist for April, 1865, was commu- 

 nicated by Mr. H. S. Eyre, of Newington, near 

 Sittingbourne. 



'In October last, 1864, I shot, on the banks of the 

 Kennet, near Newbury, a Carolina Crake {Porzana 

 Carolina). It was exhibited by Mr. A. Newton, of 

 Magdalene College, Cambridge, at the meeting of the 

 Zoological Society on the 14th of February, who 

 remarked on the fact of the species being met with 

 so far from its usual range as Greenland, and also on 

 some vagrant habits of some other Rallidae ; for 

 instance, the common English Corn Crake, which has 

 not only occurred once in Greenland, but also in the 

 Bermudas, and several times on the eastern coast of 

 the United States.' Mr. Eyre sent me notice of this 

 capture, and it appears that there is no doubt as 

 to the species, the bird having been examined by 

 Mr. Gould, Professor Newton, and others. Henceforth, 



