THE LARGER INLAND BIRDS. 



WATER RAIL. This bird ought by rights to come under the heading 

 aqttaticus.) o f moss birds, but being on the subject of rails I 

 enter him here. Not so common as the landrail, 

 by any means, but yet he is not a rarity and is 

 seldom obtained owing to his retiring habits. 



SPOTTED RAIL. An occasional autumn visitor when migrating. Is 

 (Gallinula porzana.) often caught in the snipe panties. 



MOORHEN. Common everywhere near pools, or in the moss 



(Gallinula chloropus) ditches. 



COOT. Plentiful on the lake at Ince Blundell Hall, the 



atra.) residence of Squire Weld-Blundell. 



CALIFORNIAN A specimen of this foreign partridge was brought 

 jEt to me several years ago, having been picked up 

 under the telegraph wires. The Editor of the "Field," 

 to whom I sent it, informed me that it had prob- 

 ably escaped from some aviary, never having occurred 

 in England. So much for my rarity. 



BUZZARD. 



" During the winter months, and especially in hard 

 weather, it often descends to the vicinity of the 

 coast, and at this season has several times been 

 killed on Walney and in the sandhills between 

 Liverpool and Southport" (F. S. Mitchell, " Birds 

 of Lancashire.") 



ROUGH LEGGED A female of this species was killed near Formby 

 Hall, in November, 1884, while eating rabbits in 

 th traps. 



