282 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



known Land-Rails appear in the streets of towns, and in the gardens and 

 !?(juares, especially of towns upon the coast. The tlesh of the Land-liail 

 is deservedly lield in high esteem, and we know of no more excellent pie 

 than one composed secundum artcm entirely of these birds. 



Land-Eails are numerous in wet bogs on Dartmoor in autumn, and were remarkably 

 so in August 1877 (il. A. M., Zool. 1877, p. ^87). One of these birds occurred at 

 Plymouth, June ord, 18.3ri. They were plentiful in Plymouth Market in September 

 1873, and on September 11th, 1874 (J. G., Zool. 1874, pp. 3784, 43i3). One was ex- 

 posed for sale, iJeeeiiiber 18th, 1878 (Zool. 187'.', p. Ho). A young bird was killed by 

 tlviiig agamst the Eddystone Lightliouse, August l8th, 1883 (J. G., Zool. 1883, 

 p! 422). 



The Corn-Crake is common in the Ivingsbridge district, its note being heard every 

 summer in the grass-fields, and someiimes large numbers are n;et with in August ai:d 

 September (R. P. ]S"., MS. Isotes). It has occurred as late as December 2tjth near 

 Ivingsbridge (E. A. S. E., MS. Notes). 



One was piekcd u)) dead, having been killed by flying against a telegraph-wire on 

 the L. and S.W. Railway at Lion's Holt, Exeter, May lUth, 1879. A specimen of a 

 dingy white colour ^^as shot near I'inhue, Exeter, iJay ord, 1881, and is now in the 

 A. M. M {\\. I)U., Zool. 1881, p. 2()1). One was picked up dead on Southernhay, 

 Exeter, Slay 7ih, 1881. One near Exeter, November 1st, 1878. There were some 

 for sale in Exeter in September and October 187U, September 1880. September ai;d 

 October 18^3, and seven September 4th, 1884. One at Crec.iton, December Gth, 1881 

 (' Field' for December lUth, 1881). 



[Observations. — Three species of the gciuis Porphi/rio have been found at 

 large in the United Kitigdom, and require a brief notice. These are the 

 Purple Galliiuilo {Porjilnirio ca'ruhus) ; the Green-backed Galliuule 

 (Porplii/rlo cldoronotus, Vieill.) ; and the ]VIartinique Gallinule {Furphtjrio 

 inartinlcus). The last, the smallest of the three, has only occurred once 

 ill England (in Hampshire, in August lbi(J3), and being a native of 

 'J'ropical America is the least likely to have reached our islands by itself, 

 while many exain])lcs of the two other Purple Ghllinules have now been 

 recorded from various parts of the kingdom. JSoiiie of these handsome 

 birds are occasionally imported alive into this country, and are kept on 

 ornamental waters, from whence they have been known to escape. Too 

 many specimens, however, have been obtained in unlooked-for parts of 

 the country to be accounted for by " escapes," and the explanation we are 

 disposed to give for the appearance of Purple Gallinuies, aud of many 

 other South Euro])ean and Nortli Afiicau birds, which are so frequently 

 being reported, is contained in two words, " assisted passage " ; the birds 

 having tiowu on board some homeward-bound vessel by which they were 

 brought to our shores, sometimes as captives, and sometimes as voluntary 

 passengers perched in the rigging. The beautiful Purple Gallinule, some- 

 times called the Purple Coot, which has occurred some half-dozen times, 

 inhabits the marshes and the banks of rivers in the extreme south ot' 

 Europe and the north of Africa. It is a larger bird than our Common 

 Coot, and a very beautiful example was taken in Mid-Somerset some 

 years ago, which created in us so great an interest that we took a journey 

 expressly to see it. AVe found it at Tarnock, the residence of Mr. James 

 Purrows, in the parish of Padgworth, who kindly allowed us to examine 

 it, and gave us the particulars of its capture. The level pasture couutiy 



