THE VIRGINIA RAIL. 399 



good evidence that in some cases, at least, a second brood 

 occurs about midsummer. 



Resident in the extreme Southern States, this bird breeds 

 from thence northward. 



THE VIRGINIA RAIL. 



Reaching a new territory of the sedges, I hear a sharp, 

 rough note, kreck-kreck-kreck-krcck-kreck^ which I recognize 

 as that of the Virginia Rail {jRalhis virginianus). Squatting 

 down in the thick growth, and remaining perfectly still, 

 they soon come within a few feet of me. There are two, a 

 male and a female. Turning the head in various positions, 

 they eye me very closely, but do not seem at all afraid. I 

 have a good opportunity to study not only their elegant 

 form and colors, but also their attitudes. They are 10 

 inches long, and 14 from tip to tip of the wings; the rather 

 long bill is red shaded with black; cheeks and line over 

 the eye, ash; throat white; crown black; whole upper parts 

 black streaked with brown; a chestnut spot on the wings; 

 whole under parts rich orange brown; flanks and vent black, 

 delicately marked with white. The female is a little smaller 

 than the male, and not quite so brightly colored. As is the 

 case with the Rails generall}^, the young are black when in 

 the down. This species is readily distinguished from the 

 Common Rail, not only by its color, but also by its long 

 and slender bill. Arriving here late in April, and extending 

 northward into the British Provinces, this bird remains with 

 us in considerable numbers until October, breeding quite 

 commonly about our marshes. The nest, placed on a mat- 

 ted tussock of sedges, is neatly laid, and well edged up, 

 containing some 8 or 10 eggs, 1.25 X. 95, creamy white or 

 dark cream, specked and spotted all over, but more especially 

 at the larger end, with reddish-brown and lilac. 



