A HISTORY OF DERBYSHIRE with the parent birds from near Derby, taken in 1898, and eggs and young are said to have been taken from the Old Trent near Repton. 170. Baillon's Crake. Porzana bailloni (Vieillot). One was killed in November, 1821, within three miles of Derby (Zool. Journ. iii. 493). 171. Water-rail. Rallus aquaticus, Linn. Not at all uncommon on suitable ground in most of the low-lying districts of Derby- shire, especially in the osier beds of the Trent and Dove. Owing to their skulking habits they are seldom seen except during hard frosts. Like the spotted crake they are frequently killed by striking telegraph wires in the dusk. 172. Moor-hen. Ga llinula chloropus (Linn.). Locally, Waterhen. Common on most of our ponds and gently flowing streams, but naturally less abundant on the more rapid waters of the hill country. The nest is sometimes placed at a consider- able height from the ground. One at Cal- wich Abbey was built among the branches of a large chestnut quite 1 6 feet above the water (Zool. 1900, p. 429). I have seen as many as thirteen eggs in one nest, but of course more than one hen may have laid in it. 173. Coot. Fulica atra, Linn. Locally, Bald-coot. Not common ; but breeds locally in south Derbyshire, generally on ponds in the Dove and Trent valleys, such as Bradley, Osmaston, Sudbury, etc. It is not found in the north- west except on the reservoirs at Longdendale. When a coot takes to sucking eggs it is almost as destructive as a rook to nests of waterfowl, and for this reason many are shot or scared away. [Crane. Grus communis, Bechstein. Glover includes this bird in his list, and adds that it is ' rarely found in the county.' No particulars are given.] 174. Little Bustard. Otis tetrax, Linn. A female shot by Mr. A. N. Mosley on Etwall Common in 1797 is preserved in the Rolleston Hall Museum. For many years this was the only county record, although one was shot not far from the Staffordshire border ; but on May 14, 1901, another hen bird was killed by a farmer on Middleton Top near Youlgreave, and afterwards passed into the possession of Mr. W. Storrs Fox (Zool. 1901, p. 270). 175. Stone-Curlew. (Edicnemus scolopax (S. G. Gmelin). Locally, Thick-kneed Bustard (Glover). Glover describes this species as breeding on the moorlands, but there is no further evi- dence in support of the statement, and this part of his notice may possibly refer to the common curlew (Numenius arquata}. One was shot in 1890 near Overton Hall (Birds of Derbyshire, p. 195). 176. Dotterel. Eudromias mormellus (Linn.). Ever since Willughby's time the dotterel has been known to visit north Derbyshire in the spring, remaining sometimes for six weeks or two months, but apparently not breeding. Flocks have been frequently observed on rough pasture near Castleton (Birds of Derbyshire, p. 196), and Mr. Seebohm mentions a trip of nine observed on the Strines Moors during the last week of April, 1871. On the bleak uplands near Taddington four were shot on May 27, 1894 (Zool. 1894, p. 344), and they have been observed here on other occasions. Stragglers have been recorded from Staveley (three in April, 1774), Twyford (Zool. p. 2611), the Dove near Tutbury (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, p. 52), and Derby (Field, May 20, 1899). 177. Ringed Plover. /Egia/itis hiaticola (Linn.). A tolerably regular visitor on migration in small numbers to the Trent valley (F. B. Whitlock). Individuals have also been re- corded from Derby in February, 1786 (Pil- kington), and also in the winter of 1891-2 (G. W. Pullen) ; Ramsley Lodge near Bake- well (W. S. Fox), and on the sewage farm at Egginton where they have been observed on several occasions. 178. Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis, Linn. A regular breeder on the highest parts of the moors, usually in scattered pairs. To the plains of south Derbyshire it is a common but irregular winter visitor, sometimes in large flocks. Whitlock mentions a dark sooty coloured variety in the possession of Mr. F. Beresford Wright. 179. Grey Plover. Squat arola helvetica (Linn.). A scarce winter visitor, having been only twice definitely recorded. One was shot on the sewage farm at Egginton in the winter of 1890 : the other was killed close to Derby early in January, 1893. 144
