BIRDS 



most of them were shot. Another irruption, 

 during which numbers were shot all over the 

 county, was in the spring of 1888, when 

 Mr. Culhngford had over sixty specimens 

 brought to him. 



163. Black Grouse. Tetrao tetr'ix^ Linn. 



Locally — Moor-fowl. 



Formerly very abundant, and found in 

 every suitable part of the county. Now re- 

 stricted to a few wild localities in the west of 

 the county, where its numbers are every year 

 diminishing, chiefly from the indiscriminate 

 slaughter of the hens by strangers who hire 

 the shooting for a year. In the leases of the 

 Prior and Monks of Durham in the fourteenth 

 century we find conditions of supplying so 

 many moor-fowl a year. The grandfather of 

 the present Rowland Burdon, of Castle Eden, 

 used to shoot black game on his estate close 

 to the sea a hundred and twenty years ago. 



1 64. Red Grouse. Lagopui scoticus (Latham). 



Abundant on the moors in the west. The 

 Durham and North Yorksliirc moors are said 

 to be the best stocked in the country, and the 

 birds are decidedly heavier than the Scottish 

 ones. A hundred years ago grouse still lin- 

 gered on the patches of heath and moorland 

 in the east of the county, as at Hartbushcs 

 near Castle Eden. 



165. Pheasant. Phasianus colchicuSy Linn. 



Universal wherever preserved. Generally 

 shews traces of the ringnecked species. 



1 66. Partridge. Perdix cinerea, Latham. 

 Plentiful in ordinary seasons. 



167. Red-legged Partridge. Caccabis rufa 



(Linn.). 



A rare accidental straggler. Breeds in the 

 East Riding of Yorkshire. A number were 

 turned out by Prince Duleep Singh when he 

 leased Mulgrave Castle, and since then they 

 are occasionally shot north of the Tees, as at 

 Elton. 



168. Quail. Cotumix communis, Bonnaterre. 



An irregular spring and summer visitor, 

 occasionally nesting. In the year 1868 a 

 brood of at least eight was raised in a meadow 

 at Greatham. Two young birds were shot 

 in September. The remainder I have every 

 reason to believe got away safely, but none 

 returned the next year. 



169. Corn Crake, or Land-rail. Crex pra- 



tensis, Bechstein. 



A regular spring and summer visitor, but 

 much diminished of late years. 



170. Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta 



(Leach). 

 A summer visitor, less rare than is com- 

 monly supposed. It has not unfrequently 

 nested in different parts of the county — near 

 Durham city, and for several years on Bolden 

 Flats. It has been taken as late as 1 9 No- 

 vember. 



171. Baillon's Crake. Porzana ballloni 



(Vieillot). 

 One specimen shot on the banks of the 

 Dcrwent, 12 July, 1874. Bewick mentions 

 the capture of the ' little crake,' but there 

 are no means now of ascertaining the species. 



172. Water-Rail. Rallus aquaticus, h'lnn. 



Not uncommon in suitable localities. 

 Breeds occasionally. 



173. Moor Hen, or Water Hen. GaU'inuIa 



chloropui (Linn.). 



Very abundant. Resident throughout the 

 year. 



174. Coot. Fulica atra, Linn. 



By no means uncommon. Inhabits our 

 larger ponds and tarns. 



175. Pratincole. Glareola pratinco/a, h'lnn. 



The only instance on record is one taken 

 at Stanhope on 10 July, 1876. 



176. Stone-Curlew. CEdlcnemus icolopax (S. 



G. Gmelin). 



A rare accidental visitor. One was taken 

 near South Shields on 4 February, 1864, and 

 another at Teesmouth on 1 1 January, 1901. 



177. Dotterel. Eudromias morinellus (Linn). 



Passes every year in some numbers both at 

 spring and autumn migration. It is said to 

 have bred formerly on Kilhope, but not in my 

 memory. 



178. Ringed Plover. /Egialitis hiaticula[h\nn.). 



A resident by the sea shore, where it 

 breeds on gravelly beaches. 



179. Golden Plover. Charadrlus p/uvialis, 



Linn. 

 A resident on the moorlands in the west, 

 where it breeds. In winter common by the 

 sea shore along with the lapwing. 



180. Grey Plover. Squaiarola helvetica (Linn.). 



Not uncommon, chiefly on the coasts in 

 winter, but occurs at other seasons. In the 

 collection at Elton is a specimen in full 

 summer dress, shot there by Mr. Sutton. 

 Mr. Hancock mentions several other instances. 



187 



