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PORZANA PYGMAA.

Baillon’s Crake.

Crea pyymea, Naum. Naturg. der Vég. Deutschl., Theil ix
— Baillonii, Jara. and Selb. Il. Orn., vol. i. p. 15
Rallus Baillonii, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat., 2nd edit. tom. xxviii
Gallinula Baillonir, Temm. Man. d’Orn., 2nd edit. tom. ii, ‘ 699 oe Boat

stellaris, Temm. + p43 LOM Iv. p. 440)

Pp. 566, pl. 239.

 

 

pygmea, Schinz, Eur. Faun., tom. i. p. 349.

—— Foljambei, Eyt.

Ortygometra Baillonii, Steph. Cont. Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xii. p. 228, pl. 27
pygmea, Blas. List of Birds of Eur., English edit. Dela a
Zapornia Bailloni, Gould, Birds of Eur., vol. iv. pl. 344,

pygmea, Bonap. Compt. Rend. de l’Acad. Sci., tom. xliii. Sept. 15 et 22, 1856

 

 

 

WHEN the mind of the naturalist is led to survey the “ aspects of nature ” in all their varied phases, he
cannot fail to pecome deeply interested ; for he will observe that alpine regions, notwithstanding their frosts
and snow, furnish such forms as those of the Ibex and the Lemmergeyer ; turf-clad downs, the Dotterel,
the Wheatear, that finest among our native butterflies, the Polyommatus Adonis, and the curious Bee Orchis ;
extensive oak-districts, the ‘‘ Purple Emperor” and the Chafer, so attractive to the Chern Owl; whilst
bogs and marshy lands supply plants, birds, and insects specially adapted in their economy for such places.
It is in these latter situations, amidst fogs and miasmata, where the “‘ignis fatuus ” shows its deceptive light,
that the present pretty little bird takes up its abode and finds a congenial home.

In the British Islands the Porzana pygmea must be regarded as an irregular visitor; for although many
examples have been obtained in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and its nest and eggs sometimes taken, its
discovery in our islands is attended with much uncertainty ; this, however, is not the case on the Continent,
for there it is a summer migrant. It is numerous in Italy, France, and many parts of Germany, and
also in the low fluviatile districts of Greece, Bulgaria, and other eastern countries. Like its congeners
it retires southward in autumn, and winters in North Africa and Persia. In India it is common, and very
generally dispersed, as it probably is throughout the whole of central China. Temminck states that it also
inhabits Japan. In Australia it is represented by a very closely allied species, the Porzana palustris.
habits of this bird and the character of the situations it inhabits are borne in

When the shy and retiring
ate of nature; indeed, its small

mind, it is not to be wondered at that so few persons have seen it in a st
ig it take wing, and the secluded life it leads render this almost impossible.

The Rev. Richard Lubbock remarks, in his interesting ‘Observations on the Fauna of Norfolk,’ that
arton Fen; and it appears far more rare

Baillon’s Crake has, to his “ knowledge, been shot three times on B
than it really is, as it creeps and skulks about, and scarcely any dog, however sagacious, can compel it
to fly. This is also the case in those parts of the Continent where it is not uncommon : for you may pursue

it for half an hour, and hardly catch a glimpse Ofaltem
= a: ; : ; yee 3909
Other instances of its occurrence in Britain will be found in the Zoologist,’ pp- 1877, 2923, 3035, and

5210; and Mr. Bond informs me that “ examples of the bird and two nests were taken in ae ne
taining six eggs, by Mr. Partridge, a gamekeeper, on the 6th of June, at pea ee
or four birds were killed shortly afterwards, only LS Oa
of A. F. Sealy, Esq. The second nest, containing seven eggs, was tat
first week of August; and a female bird was caught at the same til
session of the late J. D. Salmon, and the bird into the collection of the
Kent.”
M. Bailly informs us that this species arrives in Savoy aa the ue ee
that bird, departs again at the end of August or the beginning of a a nee
kind of food upon which it subsists are precisely like those of ie fe i Aen ene
that bird, it executes similar manoeuvres to escape when oe i : oe = te eee iene cree
false points, during which it retires to ; ; vos. jn May or June, on
of he fishes and the borders of ponds. he tale ae ee ce cn elongated
bunches of grass and mosses oF the decayed ree eee Le aa tint. The flesh of the bird is
form and of a clear olive-red, with indistinct spots and markings : a delicacy.
in full flavour in autumn, and is not inferior to that of the P. minutia in ce

:  minuta; and ta
In size the Porzana pygmea is considerably less than the P }

size, the difficulty of makir

one of which was preserved. '
taken at Roswell Pits, near Ely, in the

ne. The eggs passed into the pos-
Rev. Mr. Shepherd, of Trotterscliffe,

e time as the Porzana minuta, and, like
Its habits, manners, and the
as cunning and agile as

m to make

a place of safety.

s to be regretted that the