A HISTORY OF 
152. Spotted Crake. 
(Leach) 
Occurs with us regularly, though in small 
numbers, whilst on migration in the spring 
and autumn, but is far more commonly ob- 
tained during the latter movements. Mr. A. 
Covington has received altogether about two 
dozen specimens, the minority of which have 
been shot, and the remainder picked up along 
the railway, having killed themselves against 
the overhead wires. He mentions that most 
occur on the low meadows at Clapham and 
Oakley, and at Goldington and Fenlake, 
being generally obtained during April and 
August, though a few have occurred in Sep- 
tember and one as late as 7 November 1894. 
Mr. J. King has occasionally shot this species 
at Langford, and killed one at Clifton on 11 
November 1867. Mr. H. Pestell has one 
which was found dead on 11 June 1892 
under the telegraph wires at Elstow, and ac- 
cording to Mr. J. Cole several have been ob- 
tained at Leagrave Marsh, the most recent 
being one that killed itself against the railway 
wires on 7 September 1897. The last local 
occurrences of this bird were two in 1898, 
one shot at Cox’s Pits and another at Golding- 
ton, and on 3 November 1900 an unusually 
large adult bird was shot from the New Cut, 
the gizzard of which was full of seeds. 
Porzana  maruetta 
153. Little Crake. Porzana parva (Scopoli) 
A very rare visitor, ‘The only instance 
which has come under my notice was one 
caught by a dog at Longholm, close to the 
town of Bedford, on 2 May rgor. 
154. Water-Rail. Rallus aquaticus, Linn. 
A regular winter resident, varying consider- 
ably in numbers, but not very abundant. It 
is likely to be found in most localities where 
there are sufficient water and unlimited skulk- 
ing accommodation for its requirements. 
During a continued frost its numbers increase 
for a time, but if such weather is prolonged 
a re-migration further south takes place, and 
the birds return when the weather becomes 
open again. In the severe weather of Decem- 
ber 1899, fifteen were taken to one of the 
local taxidermists within a fortnight. 
155. Moor-Hen. Gallinula chloropus (Linn.) 
It is extremely common along the Ouse, 
Ivel and our larger streams and pools ; in 
some favourite localities regular colonies appear, 
and almost in every waterway and pond, no 
matter how isolated, where there is the least 
bit of cover, either under or above the water, 
and some sort of accommodation for a nest, 
the moor-hen will be found. This bird re- 
BEDFORDSHIRE 
mains about its nesting haunts throughout the 
year, unless frost compels it to seek sustenance 
elsewhere. A pied variety, having the upper 
breast of ash-grey and under plumage white, 
was shot at Felmersham in January 1895 ; 
one with the head, neck and lower breast of a 
light buff colour was killed in October 1900. 
156. Coot. Fulica atra, Linn. 
Unlike the moor-hen, this bird is restricted 
in its nesting haunts almost entirely to the 
few pools that occur on several of the larger 
estates within our county, such as at Woburn, 
Luton Hoo, Southill and Battlesden, where 
they are in each instance exceedingly plentiful 
for the area of the waters. Although one 
would expect to find at least a few pairs nest- 
ing alongside our sluggish Ouse, especially in 
the private reaches of the river, such is very 
rarely the case. The majority remain at 
their breeding haunts the year through, pro- 
vided the weather remains open, but after a 
few days’ continued frost they are frequently 
found along our principal waterways, though 
seldom more than a solitary bird or at most 
two in company, the greater number evidently 
departing direct to the coast. 
157. Great Bustard. Otis tarda, Linn. 
One said to have been killed on Mr. P. 
Addington’s farm at Wyboston about 1840 by 
Mr. Martin George, at whose sale it was pur- 
chased for £2, passed into the possession of Dr. 
Rix of St. Neots. At his death it was again 
sold. Unfortunately I am unable to trace its 
present whereabouts, 
158. Stone-Curlew. Cdicnemus scolopax (S. 
G. Gmelin) 
Until the middle of the nineteenth century 
this species was a familiar summer migrant to 
the neighbourhood of the chalk hills running 
through the south of Bedfordshire and oc- 
curred in other parts of the county, probably 
more or less frequently during its spring or 
autumn movements. Davis wrote of it as 
common around the neighbourhood of Luton 
in 1855; and Mr, T. Cane, whose local 
knowledge of that district carries him back 
also into as early years, mentions it as fre- 
quenting the Dunstable downs, but com- 
monest around Streatley. Mr. J. King informs 
me that about Hexton and Pegsdon Hills he 
has flushed two or three pairs during the day, 
and has seen them at Langford on two or 
three occasions. Mr. C. F. Wood mentions 
that between 1860-70 a pair or two nested 
between Toddington and Houghton Regis 
where he once put up five. One was obtained 
at Wilden in September 1864, another came 
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