BIRDS 201. Stock-Dove. Columha aenai, Linn. The stock-dove, although not so frequent as the above and more local, is not uncommon with us. Hard weather brings migratory additions. Whether the rock-dove visits us is uncer- tain. 202. Turtle-Dove. Turtur communis, Selby. Now common as a summer migrant, which does not always seem to have been the case. 203. Sand - Grouse. Syrrhaptes paradoxus (Pallas). A single specimen of the sand-grouse was shot early in July, 1859, at Walpole St. Peter's, near Lynn, and the remarkable irrup- tions of this bird into the county in 1863 and 1888, have been fully dealt with in the Birds of Norfolk, vol. i. p. 376, vol. iii. p. 392, and in the Zoologist for 1888, p. 442. A flock of fifteen is also said to have been seen at Win- terton, on May 21st, 1867, by Mr. Boult, who from previous experience was well ac- quainted with the bird. 204. Black Grouse. Tetrao tetrix, Linn. The black grouse, although formerly in- digenous to Norfolk, is probably confined to a few pairs on the Sandringham estate. Many efforts have been made to re-introduce it in various apparently suitable localities in the county, but with no lasting success. 205. Pheasant. Phasianus colchicus,' Linn. 206. Perdix 207. 208. Cac- All these abound. Common Partridge. cinereOy Latham. Red-legged Partridge. cabis rufa (Linn.). Quail. Coturnix communis, Bonnaterre. The quail is a spring and autumn visitant and a few remain to breed with us, but it is by no means frequent. Many Virginian colins have been turned out in Norfolk ; the first probably by Mr. Coke (first Earl of Leicester) at Holkham, previous to 1834, but they have not become established. The same may be said of the red grouse. 209. Corn-C rake or Land-Rail, Crex pratensis, Bechstein. This is a summer visitor, very uncertain as to numbers, and by no means abundant. The green-backed porphyrio has been killed ten times in Norfolk, and six of these near Barton Broad ; if all were escapes, the instinct which led them to this particular locality was remarkable. A porphyrio killed near Brandon in the spring of 1896, proved to be P. calvus, undoubtedly an escape. 210. Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta (Leach). This is with us a spring and autumn mi- grant, probably a few pairs breed annually in the broads but the nest is very seldom found. 211. Little Crake. Porxana parva i^co'poW). This bird is also a rare summer visitor to the broads, and may not always have been distinguished from the above ; it was first ob- served in 1872, and about eleven examples have been recorded. 212. Baillon's Crake. Porzana bailloni {Vei- lot). Baillon's crake is a rare summer visitor and doubtless occasionally breeds in the broads. Two nests believed to have been of this species were found at Potter Heigham in June and July, 1866, probably both belonging to the same bird. Mr. T. E. Gunn had an egg of this bird brought to him, taken in Sutton Broad on May 2nd, 1889. 213. Water-Rail. Rallus aquaticus, Linn. The water-rail is fairly abundant as a resi- dent in the broad district, though somewhat local, and receives considerable migratory additions in spring and autumn. The eggs were ruthlessly taken, and Mr. Bidwell was informed by a dealer a few years ago that he received over two hundred in one season from Yarmouth. 214. Moor-Hen. Gallinula chloropus {hinn.). The moor-hen or water-hen is very abun- dant and generally distributed. 215. Coot. Fulica atra, Linn. This species is not so numerous as formerly, but is still abundant, particularly on the broads. 216. Crane. Grus communis, Bechstein. The crane is now a rare and uncertain visitor to Norfolk, about eight occurrences are recorded. On April 7th, 1898, a small flock of four rested on the bank of the river Glaven near Wiverton, whence they took their depar- ture, and were seen again at Weybourne and Runton, finally escaping unmolested. Mr. Stevenson's article in the Birds of Norfolk (ii. 125) on this bird as a former resident in the fens of Norfolk should be read.* 217. Great Bustard. Otis tarda, Linn. It is impossible in the few lines here de- voted to the subject to do justice to the bustard ' See also footnote p. 226 ante. 239
