145 



THE LAND-RAIL. 



Crex pratens'is, Bechst. 



The information regarding the movements of the Land-Rail 

 was of a very scanty nature. This species seems to have 

 arrived ahnost entirely on the western half of the south 

 coast, the records from the south-eastern counties referring 

 apparently to a few passage-migrants that landed on the 

 eastern half and travelled northwards. 



The first arrivals seem to have appeared towards the end of 

 the second and third weeks of April ; and though single 

 birds were reported from Kent, Berkshire and Norfolk, 

 the majority seem to have passed rapidly up the western 

 side of the country, reaching Renfrew and Ayr on the 19th 

 and 22nd and the Isle of Man and Cumberland on the 23rd. 

 Further arrivals apparently occurred a few days later, 

 leading to a more extensive occupation of the west and an 

 increase in Yorkshire on the 30th. 



During the first fortnight in May several immigrations 

 evidently occurred in the west, as Land-Rails were taken on 

 passage at west coast lights on the 5th/6th, 8th/9th, 12th/13th 

 and 14th/15th, some numbers being recorded on the first- 

 named date. The exact areas and dates of arrival, however, 

 could not be determined from the records, and the route was 

 but indefinitely indicated by an increase in numbers in a 

 few of the western and Welsh counties. Land-Rails were 

 recorded on passage at the Pentland Skerries (Orkney) on 

 the 11th and 15th of May. 



One was captured at Camerton (Cumberland) on the 22nd 

 of December, 1911, and others were reported from Ireland 

 during the same month. 



