RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS 81 



to Guatemala and Cuba, breeding- over most of the United States and 

 southern Canada. 



Nest. — In marsh, under shelter of tall grass, composed of dry grass. 

 Eggs : G to 10, creamy white, spotted with brown and lilac. 



The Virginia rail is common in almost all suitable marshes, whether 

 salt or fresh, throughout the United States, but like all of its short- 

 winged kind it prefers a game of hide and seek to laborious flight, 

 and is more often heard than seen. If you try to tramp one out of 

 the marsh it will cackle and laugh on the right and then on the left 

 of you, without ever showing itself; but if you sit quietly cm the 

 bank of a grassy, reedy pond or stream where one lives, it will soon 

 come peeking and peering at you between the stems. 



Vernon Bailey. 



GENUS PORZANA. 



General Characters. — Bill decidedly shorter than tarsus ; sexes similar. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Back with narrow white streaks. 



2. Back streaked longitudinally \\ith white . . . Carolina, p. 81. 



2'. Back cross-lined with white iioveboracensis, p. 82. 



1'. Back without white streaks. 



2. Back finely dotted with white jamaicensis, p. 82. 



2'. Back without white markings coturniculus, p. 82. 



SubgeniTs Porzana. 

 214. Porzana Carolina (i/?j».). Carolina Rail: Sora. 



^Ulults. — I pper paits olive brown, spotted with black and finely lined 



rwith wliite ; middle of crown, face, and throat black ; breast 

 and checks bluish gray, sides barred black and white ; belly 

 whitish; middle of lower tail coverts buff. Immature: simi- 

 lar to adult but without l)lack face or bluisli gray breast. 

 Length: 7.85-U.75, wing- 4.15—1 ;^jO, bill .T-J-DO, tarsus 1.25- 

 1.35. 

 Distribution. — Temperate North America from Iludscui 

 Bay and British Columbia south to northern South America, 

 _,. „j breeding over most of its United States and Canadian range. 



Xest. — Usually on tussock in marsh, made of dry grasses 

 or sedges. Eggs : usually 7 to 10 but sometimes 14 to Hi, grayish olive, 

 spotted with red(li.sli brown and purplish. 



Carolina rails are the commonest of their family over the eastern 

 and middle United States, or at least, being uiok; commonly jneadow 

 birds, arc oftener seen than the other species; but in the west they 

 are less (;ommon than tlu; Virginia rail. To avoid flying, when their 

 field is being mowed they will often .stay in the fast narrowing strip 

 of grass until they must go or meet the sharp teeth of the ."^icklc, 

 when i)erhaps a dozen will rise one after another and fly to fresh 

 cover. 



