224
THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
A. Clark, in the same locality, on the 26th, and a fourth, by the same gentleman
at Leyton, on the 28th (23. 8847). One was obtained near Colchester in 1880
(29. Apr. 23). Mr. Kerry says (40. iii. 459) another was picked up dead on
the railway-line near Harwich, having killed itself by flying against the tele-
graph wires, about the middle of Oct., 1879. Mr. Baxter has informed me of
specimens killed at Barking in Nov., 1887, and on Bowers Marsh, Pitsea, on Aug.
22nd, 1889, respectively. Mrs. Bree has two shot near Colchester, one of which
was probably shot on the river in the third week of Aug., 1866 (32a). Dr. Laver
has killed it at Paglesham. Mr. John Pettitt preserved a specimen killed at
Tollesbury, early in Sept., 1888, which Dr. Salter now has. Mr. E. A. Fitch has a
female which was shot on Northey Island. In it was a perfectly-formed egg, so
that it was probably nesting. Further, Mr. Baxter has informed me that in the
autumn of 1889, several were killed on the Pitsea Marshes, some of which were ob-
viously young birds, probably bred in the district.
Baillon's Crake : Porzana bailloni.
A very rare and irregular summer migrant or resident. Although
it has been known to breed in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, the only
record of its occurrence in Essex is the following by Mr. E. Curtis jun.,
of Forest Lane, E., who records (29. Oct. 10) having obtained one
in a thick reedy ditch in Essex on October 3rd, 1874. It was not
flushed, but was found and caught by Mr. Curtis's dog, in a ditch
adjoining " Dagenham Gulf," as I am informed by that gentleman
himself, who still has the bird, which he has kindly lent for my in-
spection. It appears to be immature, but is in good plumage.
Little Crake : Porzana parva.
A rare visitor to Britain. I only know of a single specimen
having been obtained in Essex, but other occurrences have probably
been overlooked.
Mr. J. F. T. Wiseman of Paglesham has a specimen shot on a marsh upon
one of his farms in that parish, by Mr. Lucas of Billericay, when Snipe-shooting
in the month of October four or five years ago.
Corn-Crake or Land-Rail: Crex pratensis.
Best known in Essex as a passing migrant in spring and autumn,
especially the latter, when it is frequently met with in fields of clover
and lucerne, and killed by
partridge-shooters during
September and the early
part of October. It is
also to some extent
a summer visitor, as it
breeds, though sparingly,
in many parts of the
county, and may even al-
most be spoken of as a resi-