382 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. IX. 



95. Rallus virginianus Lixn. 

 Virginia Rail. 



Distr.: North America in general, from the British Provinces 

 south to Guatemala and Cuba. 



Adult: Having somewhat the appearance of a very small King 

 Rail; upper parts, dusky or blackish; feathers, edged with grayish 



Virginia Rail. 



brown; wings, brownish; under parts, dark rufous brown; throat, 

 white; lores, ashy white, shading into gray on the cheeks; flanks 

 and under tail coverts, barred and spotted with white and black. 



Length, 9.40; wing, 4.25; tarsus, 1.35; bill, 1.55. 



A common summer resident in Illinois and Wisconsin, breeding 

 throughout both states. Inhabits swamps and marshes. Nests 

 on the ground. The number of eggs varies from 7 to 12. They are 

 pale buff color, spotted and speckled with rufous brown, and meas- 

 ure about 1.25 X .95 inches. In northern Illinois the eggs are laid 

 late in May or early in June. 



