384 Field Museum of Natural History — ^Zoology, Vol. IX. 



Genus COTURNICOPS Bonap. 



97. Coturnicops noveboracensis (Gmel.). 

 Yellow Rail. 



Porzana noveboracensis (Gmel.), A. O. U. Check List, 1895, p. 79. 



Distr.: Chiefly eastern North America, north to Nova Scotia 

 and Hudson Bay, casually west to Nevada and California; accidental 

 in Cuba and Bermuda. 



Adult: Above, streaked with blackish and yellowish brow^n; 

 feathers, barred and mottled with white; under parts, yellowish 



\\^^ 



w 





Yellow Rail. 



brown, palest on the belly; feathers of the breast, tipped with dark 

 browm; under surface of wings, white; a pale yellowish brown super- 

 ciliary stripe. 



Length, 6; wing, 3 to 3.50; tarsus, .90 to i.oo. 



The Yellow Rail is a summer resident in both Illinois and Wisconsin. 

 It is not uncommon but is seldom seen in comparison with other 

 species, if we except the Little Black Rail. It breeds in Wisconsin 

 and at least in the northern part of Illinois. 



Mr. Nelson gives it as "not very rare" and states that a set of six 

 eggs were taken with the bird, May 17, by Mr. J. W. Tolman at Winne- 

 bago, 111., and are now in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution. 

 Kumlien and Hollister give it as a summer resident in Wisconsin. 

 They say: "Not nearly so rare as generally supposed, though by no 

 means common. We have authentic records from Racine, Milwaukee, 

 Elm Grove, Delavan, Janesville, Milton, etc., and even breeding records 

 as far north as Brown Co." (Birds of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 39.) 



This species builds its nest in a well-covered marsh. The eggs are 

 six or more, buffy white, spotted heavily on the larger end with 

 brown. They measure about i.io x .85 inches. 



