Page:VCH Surrey 1.djvu/257

 BIRDS 181. Quail. Coturnix communis, Bonnaterre. A late summer and autumn visitor of capri- cious appearance. It has also nested occasion- ally in the county. Some seasons find it tolerably common, but in others it is con- spicuously absent. [Virginian Colin. Ortyx virginianus (Linn.). An introduced species which has seldom survived for more than a season after impor- tation. Has occasionally nested and been shot, but has no right to real inclusion in the county list (Bucknill t p. 270).] 182. Corn-Crake or Land-Rail. Crex pra- tensis y Bechstein. A fairly abundant summer visitor, arriving during the last few days of April, and nesting in most of the rural districts. In some seasons it is much more numerous than in others. 183. Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta (Leach). A rare visitor in spring and autumn, and has doubtless sometimes nested. The records of its occurrence are not numerous (Bucknill, pp. 272, 273). 1 84. Little Crake. Porzana parva (Scopoli). Another very rare visitor, only mentioned as having occurred in the county once or twice (Bucknill, p. 274). 185. Baillon's Crake. Porzana bailloni (Vieil- lot). Twice recorded from Surrey on apparently excellent authority (Bucknill, p. 273). 1 86. Water-Rail. Rallus aquaticus, Linn. Rather a scarce resident of local distribu- tion. Extremely shy, and frequents the thickest swamps and muddy covers. Here it nests in extremely inaccessible spots. Though not common it is often thought to be rarer than it really is, owing to its secluded habits. Its numbers are increased by some autumnal immigration. 187. Moorhen. Gallinula chloropus (Linn.). A common resident, nesting on the rivers and on the ponds even of the metropolitan parks. 1 88. Coot. Fulica atra, Linn. A tolerably common resident, but not nearly so generally distributed as the moor- hen. Many of the large ponds hold a con- siderable number. [Purple Gallinule. Porphyrio ccerulea (Linn.). One frequented a lake near Dorking for some months, and was eventually picked up dead. Possibly, though not certainly, an ' escape ' (Bucknill, p. 280).] 189. Stone-Curlew. (Edicnemus scolopax (S. G. Gmelin). Formerly a regular summer visitor, nesting in many parts of the upland wastes ; but though a few may still breed in one or two localities, the bird can now be only considered a somewhat scarce visitor (Bucknill, p. 281). 1 90. Pratincole. Glareola pratincola, Linn. Once shot, many years ago, in the county (Bucknill, p. 280). 191. Dotterel. Eudromias morinellus (Linn.). Has not for many years been noticed in Surrey. In the first half of the century it was obtained several times, and may have in still earlier years been a regular visitor on migration to the west Surrey hills (Bucknill, p. 285). 192. Ringed Plover. /Egia/itis hiaticula (Linn.). An occasional visitor on its spring and autumn migration. Casually recorded on several occasions (Bucknill, p. 286). 193. Kentish Plover. jEgia/itis cantiana (Latham). Once shot on the Mole, but possibly some- times overlooked (Bucknill, p. 286). 194. Golden Plover. Cbaradrius pluvialis, Linn. A fairly common winter visitor, though much less abundant than in former years. 195. Asiatic Golden Plover. Charadrius ful- vus, Gmelin. One was shot on Epsom racecourse in 1 870, and is now in the Charterhouse collection (Bucknill, p. 283). 196. Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica (Linn.). A rare visitor, seldom noticed in Surrey. Recorded only on two or three occasions (Bucknill, p. 284). 197. Lapwing. Vanellui vulgarity Bechstein. A common resident in most suitable places, but far less abundant than in former times. 198. Turnstone. Strepsilas interpret (Linn.). Only twice noticed in Surrey (Bucknill, p. 289). 215