North American Birds Eggs- 



103 



rushes, grass and weeds, in tangled masses of vinesa few feetahovethegnmndor 

 water. They lay from three to eight eggs liaving a ground color of huff or 

 grayish white and l)lotched witli light l)rown. Their coloration is verv similar 

 to those of the Cranes. Size 2.tM) x 1.70. They nest in April :ind May. 



RAILS, GALLINULES and COOTS. Family RALLID/E. 



Memhers of this family are almost exclusively fnM|ucntcrs of marshes, where 

 they lead m shy. retiring life and are more ofti^i liearti tlian seen. 



208. King Rail. Ralliis rIcijdHx. 



Range.— Fresh water marshes of eastern Tnited States from Xew England and 

 the Dakotas, southward. Very aluindaiit on the South Atlantic coast, in the 

 inland marshes. 



This is one of the largest of the Rails, (17 

 inches in length) and may l)e known hy the 

 ricdmess of its ]>lumage, the l)reast and wing 

 coverts heing a rich cinnamon color. It is 

 almost exclusively a fresh water species and is 

 very rarely found around a salt water marsh. 

 Its nest is liuilt on the ground, in a tuft of 

 grass or a clump of rushes: it is made of grass 

 and weeds woven ahout the upright stalks. 

 They lay from five to twelve eggs having a 

 cream colored ground, sparinglv speckled with 

 hrown and lilac. Size l.(iO\x' l.L^t). Data.— 

 Clark County, ^lissouri, June 6, ISlKj. 10 eggs. 

 Nest composed of reed stalks; a slightly concave mass 8 inches across, and onlv 

 two inches ahove the water, in a clump of reeds. Collector, Ed. S. Currier. 



7/ 





209. Belding Rail. Bdlliis hcldingi. 



Range. — Lower California and the islands in the Gulf. 



This is a locally conhned species, very similar to the preceding hut darker 

 and with the Hank hars narrower. Its nesting or eggs will not iliffer from those 

 of the King Rail. 



2 10. California Clapper Rail. JifiUus obsoletuf!. 



Range.— Salt marshes of the Pacific coast of the United States. 



^ 







[Light buff. 



This species is like a dull colored King Rail, 

 with reference to the markings of the hack, or a 

 bright colored Clapper Rail, as it has a cinna- 

 mon colored breast. It is an abundant species 

 in nearly all the salt marshes along the coast. 

 They make their nests on the higher parts of 

 the marsh, where it is comparatively dry, build- 

 ing them of grass and strips of rushes. They 

 lay from four to nine eggs of a light buff color, 

 boldly spotted with brown, and with fainter 

 markings of lilac. Size 1.75 x 1.25. Data.— 

 Palo Alto, Cal., May 1, 18t~,9. Nest of marsh 

 grass under a small bush on bank of slough. 

 Collector. Ernest Adams. 



