BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 203 



Notes. — A loud hup, hup, hup, hup, hup, increasing in rapidity to a roll, 

 then ending somewhat as it began, occupying about five seconds (Chap- 

 man). A grunting umph, umph, umph, umph; notes on same key and 

 separated by rather wide intervals, deep and guttural, sometimes harsh 

 and vibrant (Brewster). Eaton says that so far as he is aware no one 

 has actually seen the bird uttering its notes. 



Nest. — Of grasses, on the ground in fresh-water marshes. 



Eggs. — Seven to twelve, buffy white, more heavily spotted and speckled 

 with rufous brown than those of the Clapper Rail, about 1.68 by 1.20. 



Season. — Has been taken rarely in New England or New York at all 

 seasons. 



Range. — Eastern North America. Breeds from Nebraska, southern Min- 

 nesota, Ontario, New York and Connecticut south to Texas, Florida 

 and Cuba; winters mainly in the southern part of its breeding range; 

 casual north to South Dakota and Maine. 



History. 

 This large and handsome Rail closely resembles the Vir- 

 ginia Rail except in size. It is regarded as an accidental 

 visitor to New England from the south. Following are all 

 the Massachusetts records known to me: Mr. George O. 

 Welch had, in 1877, a mounted specimen shot at Nahant, 

 November 21, 1875.^ In 1878 there was a specimen in the 

 collection of Mr. George E. Browne of Dedham; killed, some 

 years before, in Sudbury.^ A male was taken at Chatham, 

 September 24, 1881; it was preserved in the collection of 

 Mr. Foster H. Brackett; the head and legs are now in the 

 Brewster collection.^ A specimen was caught in a muskrat 

 trap at North Truro, "early in February, 1892." ^ An adult 

 female was taken by Mr. J. H. Bowles at Readville, Septem- 

 ber 9, 1893.^ A male in the Peabody Academy collection 

 was caught in a garden in Salem, on July 10, 1894.^ Another, 

 a young bird, was taken by Mr. Bowles at Readville, August 

 27, 1894, and is now in the Brewster collection.^ A male was 

 taken at Longmeadow, near Springfield, October 19, 1895, by 



1 Purdie, H. A.: Bull. Nuttall Orn. Club, 1877, p. 22. 



2 Ibid., 1878, p. 146. 



3 Brewster, William: Memoirs, Nuttall Orn. Club, No. IV, Birds of the Cambridge Region of 

 Massachusetts, 1906, p. 144. 



< Miller, G. S., Jr.: Auk, 1892, p. 396. 



6 Townsend, C. W.: Memoirs, Nuttall Orn. Club, No. Ill, Birds of Essex County, Mass., 1905, 

 p. 159. 



