1G7 



THE LAND-RAIL. 



Crex pratensis Bechst. 



There were very few records of this species, especially from 

 the soutliern, south-eastern and eastern counties. 



The lighthouses furnish only a single record, one bird 

 having been killed at Start Point at 2 a.m. on the 15th of 

 May, at the tail end of an enormous flight of six or more 

 different species. 



The first arrival noted was in Surrey on the 10th of April, 

 and on the 17th one was heard in the Isle of Man. Subse- 

 quently birds were recorded from Cornwall and "Wilts on the 

 22nd, from Somerset, Lancashire and Norfolk on the 23rd, 

 from Worcester on the 26th, from Lincoln on the 27th, from 

 Leicester, Norfolk, Yorkshire and Nottingham on the 29th, 

 from Cheshire on the 4th of May and from Cumberland on 

 the 5th. 



Until the end of the first week in May the records, with 

 two exceptions, refer only to single individuals ; but after 

 that date the birds appear to have settled down in their 

 breeding-haunts in various parts of the country, such as 

 Cornwall, Cambridge, Staffordshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire 

 and Cumberland. 



Many Land-Rails were reported from the Isle of Man 

 between the 13th and 19tli of May and from Cumberland on 

 the 18th. 



With regard to the occurrence of this species in 1907, 

 there is little to be said beyond the fact that it arrived and 

 remained chicfiy in the western counties. It should, however, 

 be noted that it was neither heard nor seen by any of the 

 observers in the following counties : — Hants, Sussex, Middle- 

 sex, Essex, Bucks, Herts and Suffolk, while it was only once 



