﻿BIRDS. 
  

  

  165 
  

  

  Crex 
  pratensis, 
  Bechstein. 
  Corn-Crake. 
  Land-Rail. 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  a 
  regular 
  annual 
  visitor, 
  arriving 
  in 
  May. 
  It 
  is 
  

   to 
  be 
  heard 
  uttering 
  its 
  rough 
  cry 
  as 
  it 
  moves 
  along 
  the 
  

   pasture 
  field, 
  which, 
  at 
  that 
  early 
  season, 
  has 
  not 
  grass 
  

   sufficient 
  to 
  shade 
  the 
  timorous 
  crake 
  from 
  observation. 
  It 
  

   is 
  plentifully 
  distributed 
  throughout 
  our 
  district, 
  forming 
  its 
  

   nest 
  in 
  the 
  hay, 
  corn, 
  grass, 
  and 
  even 
  in 
  uncultivated 
  lands. 
  

   It 
  generally 
  brings 
  out 
  two 
  broods, 
  and 
  then 
  departs 
  about 
  

   September, 
  although 
  we 
  have 
  often 
  seen 
  it 
  as 
  late 
  as 
  the 
  

   month 
  of 
  November. 
  

  

  Genus 
  GALLINULA, 
  Brisson. 
  

  

  Gallinula 
  chloropus, 
  Linn. 
  Moor-Hen. 
  "Water-Hen." 
  

  

  Resident 
  and 
  common, 
  frequenting 
  lochs, 
  streams, 
  and 
  

   mill-ponds. 
  

  

  Genus 
  FULICA, 
  Brisson. 
  

  

  Fulica 
  atra, 
  Linn. 
  Common 
  Coot. 
  Bald 
  Coot. 
  

  

  Like 
  the 
  last-named 
  species, 
  the 
  Coot 
  is 
  abundant 
  through- 
  

   out 
  " 
  Dee," 
  occupying 
  the 
  same 
  localities 
  and 
  in 
  company 
  

   with 
  the 
  Water-Hen. 
  

  

  Order 
  ALECTORIDES. 
  

   Family 
  GRUIDiE. 
  

   Genus 
  GRUS, 
  Bechstein. 
  

   Grus 
  communis, 
  Beck. 
  Crane. 
  

  

  " 
  This 
  ' 
  occasional 
  and 
  very 
  rare 
  visitor,' 
  as 
  Yarrell 
  entitles 
  

   it, 
  has 
  lately 
  occurred 
  in 
  this 
  neighbourhood. 
  It 
  was 
  first 
  

   seen 
  about 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  May 
  in 
  a 
  field 
  about 
  eight 
  miles 
  up 
  the 
  

   river 
  Dee, 
  and 
  remained 
  some 
  days 
  in 
  the 
  vicinity 
  before 
  

   being 
  shot. 
  It 
  was 
  a 
  young 
  male, 
  and 
  is 
  now 
  in 
  the 
  

   possession 
  of 
  Mr. 
  Alex. 
  Mitchell." 
  (J. 
  Longmuir, 
  Naturalist, 
  

   vol. 
  ii., 
  p. 
  238, 
  1852.) 
  

  

  Gray, 
  in 
  speaking 
  of 
  this 
  same 
  specimen 
  of 
  the 
  Crane, 
  

   says 
  : 
  " 
  It 
  was 
  killed 
  by 
  Mr. 
  Francis 
  Anderson, 
  and 
  is 
  still 
  in 
  

  

  