BIRDS 
very commonly. It continues nesting over a 
very considerable portion of the year, in fact 
exceeding that of any other of our breeding 
species. J have particulars of a nest with 
eggs taken at Bedford Ford End as early as 
8 March 1893, and another elsewhere also 
with eggs on 12 March 1899; then we 
have the record of Mr. C. M. Prior (Zoologist) 
of finding fresh eggs as late as 2 October in 
1875. I have occasionally found these birds 
utilizing old nests of the magpie. 
145. Turtle-Dove. Turtur communis, Selby. 
Asummer visitor, becoming more numerous 
every year. Twenty years ago we looked 
upon the finding of the nest of this bird as of 
some rarity, but nowadays it is by no means 
an uncommon incident in any neighbourhood ; 
and in its more favoured haunts, particularly 
the small plantations between Wootton and 
Marston, or again in Muggerhanger Grove, it 
nests very commonly. Its arrival generally 
takes place during the last week in April or 
early in May and its departure about the 
middle of September. 
146. Pallas’s Sand-Grouse. 
doxus (Pallas) 
During the immigration of sand-grouse that 
reached the British Islands in considerable 
numbers in 1863 and several years following, 
no record of its occurrence is found any 
nearer than in the adjoining county of North- 
ampton. In 1888, when that wonderful 
irruption of some thousands reached our shores, 
many favoured us with their presence, but 
received I am afraid little better reception than 
that meted out to them only too generally. 
Mr. J. H. Barnard records that a flock of about 
fourteen visited the neighbourhood of Cople 
in May of that year and stayed for upwards of 
three weeks ; and Mr. A. Covington informs 
me that sand-grouse were also reported from 
Cranfield and Kempston ; in the latter locality 
one was taken alive on 3 July, and after 
being kept some few days again set at liberty. 
There is a specimen in the Modern School 
Museum which was picked up dead under 
telegraph wires at Thurleigh on 11 June, 
and another was obtained there shortly after- 
wards, but unfortunately not preserved. 
Another was killed at Caddington during the 
same year. 
Syrrhaptes para- 
147. Pheasant. Phasianus colchicus and P. 
torquatus, Linn. 
Both the black-necked pheasant (P. co/- 
chicus) and the ring-necked pheasant (P. 
torquatus) are common with us, as well as 
the intermediate forms produced by the 
inter-breeding of these two species. At 
Woburn several other species of pheasant have 
been turned out on the estate. 
148. Partridge. Perdix cinerea, Latham. 
Very abundant. All the occurrences of 
albinism and white variations, which seem to 
have been unusually plentiful with us, have 
occurred in one particular district, namely be- 
tween Pertenhall and Bolnhurst, some four 
miles distant from each other. All may have 
arisen from one common stock, but it more 
probably bears out the statement that partridges 
reared on heavy clay lands are often poor in 
colour ; nevertheless it seems strange that with 
so much similar land in the county the records 
should be confined to this one locality. 
149. Red-legged Partridge. Caccabis rufa 
(Linn.) 
An introduced species now abundant 
throughout the county, though not in any way 
as numerous as our indigenous bird. Mr. J. 
Allen mentions that it was first killed in the 
neighbourhood of Ampthill at Brickhill Pas- 
tures in 1860, and Mr. W. J. Chalk that one 
was shot by his grandfather at Wilden in 
1845. According to Davis it was common 
in the neighbourhood of Luton in 1855. 
150. Quail. Coturnix communis, Bonnaterre. 
A summer migrant, but it is very doubtful 
if it occurs every year with us ; it was former- 
ly far more plentiful. There is little doubt 
that this bird is far oftener met with in the 
vicinity of the chalk hills in the south than in 
any other part of the county. The land be- 
tween the Embankment and Goldington 
Road (particularly about that part where 
Howbury Street now stands) used to be al- 
most invariably frequented by quails and most 
years a few were killed. Mr. J. King shot 
one on 22 June 1854 near Stanford Mill and 
another at Langford on 3 July following, but 
not recently, and Major Brooks also mentions 
that the quail has been absent for years from 
Flitwick where formerly he often shot it. 
Numerous records have been supplied by Mr. 
A. Covington, Mr. J. Cole, Mr. A. F. Cross- 
man and others. 
151. Corn-Crake or Land-Rail. 
tensis, Bechstein. 
A fairly abundant but decreasing summer 
migrant. It arrives generally at the latter 
end of April or early in May, and leaves again 
usually in September, but often later, October 
birds being commonly met with. One was 
taken on 3 January a few years ago in the 
Grammar School grounds, Bedford, and 
another on 7 December 1899 at Henlow. 
Crex pra- 
127 
