262 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



THE SORA RAIL. 



ORTYGOMETRA CAROLINA. 

 PLATE C. FIG. 224. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Rallus carolinus, Lin. p. 263. Soree gallinule. Pennant, Arctic Zoology, Vol. 2, p. 491. 

 R. virginianus. Wilson, (misprint) Am. Om. Vol. C, p. 27, pi. 48, fig. 1 ; carolinus in the Index. 

 R. stolidus, Vieillot. R. (Crex) carolinus, Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol.2, p. 334. 

 R. carolinus. Ndttall, Man. Om. Vol. 2, p. 209. Audubon, Birds of Am. Vol. 5, p. 145, pi. 306. Gieaud, 

 Birds of Long Island, p. 201. 



Characteristics. Olive brown and black. Feathers with white margins. Breast and 

 flanks mostly slate ; the latter waved with white. Edge of first quill 

 white. Male, centre of the throat black. Female and young, throat 

 white, or obscurely barred. Length, 9"0. 



Description. Bill straight, compressed, 0*8 long and 0'3 deep at the base : upper mandi- 

 ble slightly notched at the tip. First and fifth quills subequal ; the second longest. Nails 

 compressed, straight. Tail almost pointed. 



Color. Bill yellow, dusky towards the tip. Lores, centre of the crown, (and stripe down 

 the throat in the male,) black. Line over the eye, cheeks and breast bluish ash. Above 

 olive brown ; the centre of the feathers dark brown, and the margins bordered with white. 

 Tail dusky brown, darker in the centre. Beneath with obscure light bars on the breast : 

 centre of the abdomen whitish. Sides, flanks and axillaries dark, with angular bars of 

 white. Female and young : Breast reddish brown ; throat white or obscurely barred ; 

 chin and abdomen greyish white ; the dark medial line on the crown sometimes scarcely 

 apparent. Above, the bright reddish tint is more apparent, and the white margins of the 

 feathers are interrupted, forming white spots. 



Length, 8*5 -9*5. 



The Sora or Soree, English Rail or Coot of the Southern States, although numerous in 

 the adjoining State of New-Jersey, where it is much sought after as game, appears but 

 sparingly within our borders. It nevertheless breeds in this State. It occurs in fresh and 

 salt-water marshes ; appearing with us in the spring, and disappearing with the first frost. 

 Its presumed geographical range extends from the 25th to the 62d parallel. A winter resi- 

 dent of Florida and Louisiana. Its history is yet incomplete. 



