BIRDS 



198. Land-Rail. Crex pratensis, Bechstein. 

 Locally, Barley Drake, Barley Hen, Corn 



Crake. 

 A summer migrant, arriving at the end of 

 April or in the first week in May, and de- 

 parting at the end of October. A few remain 

 with us during the winter months. Land- 

 rails sometimes congregrate in a remarkable 

 manner in the extreme southern promontory 

 of the county in autumn, just before leaving 

 for the south. As many as forty-two brace 

 were shot by two guns in one morning, 23 

 September 1 861, in the parish of Malborough. 

 The land-rail is also sometimes plentiful in 

 north Devon, and was formerly especially 

 abundant on Lundy Island during the autum- 

 nal migration. It frequently breeds in north 

 Devon, but not often in the southern part of 

 the county. A specimen of a dingy white 

 colour was shot at Pinhoe near Exeter 3 

 May 1881. 



199. Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta 



(Leach) 

 Locally, Silver Rail (on the Exe), Spotted 

 Skitty (N. Devon). 



A passing visitor in spring and autumn, 

 most frequently met with at the latter season, 

 i.e. from August to the middle of November. 

 It is much less frequently seen than formerly. 

 It used to be found on Braunton Burrows in 

 winter, and has occasionally visited Lundy 

 Island. The only specimen recorded as hav- 

 ing been noticed on Dartmoor was shot near 

 Post Bridge in 1862. 



200. Little Crake. Porzana parva (Scopoli) 

 A casual visitor occurring at all seasons of 



the year, but rarely seen on account of its 

 skulking habits. The first example of this 

 species made known in Britain was shot near 

 Ashburton in 1809, and Colonel Montagu 

 received it from Dr. A. Tucker of that place. 

 The specimen was figured and described in 

 the supplement to the Ornithological Dictionary 

 under the name of ' little gallinule.' Dr. E. 

 Moore calls it the ' olivaceous gallinule.' Six 

 examples have been obtained, occurring both 

 in the north and south of the county, and 

 others have been seen. 



[There is no properly authenticated occur- 

 rence of Baillon's crake (P. bailloni) in Devon- 

 shire. All that have been recorded proved to 

 be little crakes.] 



201. Water-Rail. Rallus aquaticuSfhinn. 

 Locally, Skitty Cock, Grey Skitty (A.-S. siit= 



to glide), Gutter Cock, Ore Cock. 



Common and partially resident, breeding in 



some localities, but most frequently seen at 

 the end of September and the beginning of 

 October, when there seems to be an arrival of 

 immigrants from other parts. 



202. Moor-Hen. Gallinula chloropus (Linn.) 



Locally, Water Hen, Cuddy (i.e. short- 

 tailed). 



Resident, generally distributed and abun- 

 dant in all suitable localities. It appears to 

 be increasing in numbers. 



203. Coot. Fulica atra, Linn. 

 Locally, Bald Coot. 



As a resident the coot is of very local 

 distribution, being almost entirely confined to 

 Slapton, Thurlcstone and Milton Leys on 

 the south-west coast of the county, breeding 

 on the first in considerable numbers. In 

 winter, especially if the weather is severe, 

 great flocks of * foreigners ' arrive on the leys 

 and elsewhere on the south coast and on the 

 Barnstaple river in the north. On a day 

 usually in the month of January, an annual 

 battue, or public shoot, known as ' Ley Day,' 

 takes place on Slapton Ley, when large num- 

 bers of coots are slaughtered. 



204. Crane. Grus communis, Bechstein. 



There are only two recorded occurrences 

 of this fine bird in Devonshire. The first 

 was killed at Buckland Monachorum on the 

 borders of Dartmoor in the autumn of 1826, 

 It had frequented the banks of the Tamar for 

 several days, and was at last shot near its 

 tributary, the Tavy. The second was seen 

 for five or six days on the high level fields 

 near the Start Lighthouse in September 1869. 

 It always kept out of gunshot and was not 

 secured. 



205. Great Bustard. Otis tarda, Linn. 



A casual visitor of very rare occurrence in 

 winter. Montagu mentions four specimens 

 obtained near Plymouth. A female was shot 

 at Bratton Clovelly on 31 December 1851; 

 and two, both females, were killed and a third 

 wounded out of a flock of seven or eight at 

 Croyde and Braunton 31 December 1870. 



206. Little Bustard. Otis tetraxy Linn. 



At least a dozen little bustards, all females 

 or immature birds, have been recorded from 

 Devonshire, occurring during the winter 

 months, generally in December. Five of 

 them occurred in the South Hams, and the 

 rest in north Devon. The last occurrence 

 was in November 1893, when three were 

 seen on Braunton Burrows. 



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