VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF LEICESTERSHIRE. 237 
Potter) says it occurs at Thringstone, Rothley Temple, &c. I 
have seen several local specimens. Mr. Macaulay, I believe, has 
shot it at Saddington, and Mr. Samuel Bevans shot a specimen 
in the Abbey Meadow some years ago, which I saw. 
Porzana maruetta (Leach). Spotted Crake.—Sparingly dis- 
tributed, probably breeding. According to Harley, it was very 
common during the summer of 1842. In many localities 
throughout the Midlands it appeared in numbers, but nowhere 
in Leicestershire was it met with in greater abundance than in 
the meadows and fields near the Soar. From Loughborough to 
Kegworth it was plentiful. Prior to the taking over of the 
Museum by the Corporation in 1849, there appears to have 
been a specimen from ‘meadows on banks of River Soar.” 
Mr. Macaulay (Mid. Nat. 1882, p. 78) ‘‘has killed three in his 
neighbourhood during the last twenty years,” and he wrote me 
that he had shot another at Saddington Reservoir, on the 15th 
January, 1884. I saw two mounted specimens which had been 
shot, at the Abbey Meadow some seven or eight years ago, 
by Mr. Samuel Bevans. One purchased from Mr. R. Widdowson 
for the Museum was obtained at Melton Mowbray, on the 
1st October, 1881, and he also wrote me that it bred in that 
locality. I saw one, in the possession of Turner, shot in the 
Abbey Meadow, three years ago, and another, in the posses- 
sion of Elkington, caught by a dog at Birstall, on the 17th of 
October, 1885. 
Porzana parva (Scopoli). Little Crake.—Harley states that 
one was shot near the town of Leicester in January, 1841, and 
was afterwards eaten. 
Crex pratensis, Bechstein. Corn Crake (Landrail).—A summer 
migrant ; generally distributed, and breeding. 
Gallinula chloropus (Linn.). Moorhen (Waterhen).—Resident, 
and generally distributed. Breeding quite close to Leicester, and 
at Aylestone. Often flying at night with loud cries. The MS. 
donation book Leicester Town Museum records, under date 23rd 
Feb. 1853, one presented by Mr. Dalby, shot at Ilston-on-the- 
Hill as being ‘‘remarkable for being destitute of the slightest 
vestige of the hinder toes.” 
Fulica atra, Linn. Coot (‘Bald Coot”’).—Resident, and locally 
distributed. Breeds at Bosworth, Groby Pool, Saddington 
Reservoir, ‘‘ Frog-hollow” Pond, Belvoir. One was shot close 
