Clcipper Rail (Rallus crepitans crepitans) 



Range. — Breeds from Connecticut to North Carolina; winters mainly south 

 of New Jersey. 



The distribution of the clapper rail complements that of the king rail, for 

 the clapper inhabits the salt-water marshes as its relative does he fresh-water 

 meadows. Though occasional as far north as Massachusetts, the clapper rail 

 does not begin to be numerous until Long Island is reached. Farther south it 

 inhabits the salt marshes in great numbers. It used to nest abundantly on Cobb's 

 Island and other sandy islands along the Atlantic coast which are fringed on 

 the landward side by dense beds of rushes. When on Cobb's Island, I once 

 offered a small boy a quarter apiece for some of the young clappers, as I had 

 never seen them. In about an hour he returned and to my astonishment turned 

 out of his cap more than a dozen of the quaint, black, fluffy youngsters, some of 

 which apparently had just chipped the shell. It appeared that an uncommonly 

 high tide had driven the birds from their usual haunts, and the nestlings were 

 to be had by the dozen by wading through the reeds and picking them off the 

 piles of floating debris. I had the pleasure of returning most of them to their 

 native haunts, and the rapidity with which they lost themselves among the reeds 

 showed that they needed no parental lectures on the art of concealment. 



A closely allied species, the California clapper rail, represents the eastern 

 bird on the Pacific coast of Oregon and California. As the name implies, clapper 

 rails are noisy birds, and their harsh notes are often heard coming from the 

 thick reeds when the callers are invisible. They lay from seven to a dozen eggs 

 and are so prolific that with a decent regard for seasons and bag limits, they 

 should hold their own to the end of time. 



Rusty Blackbird {Scolecopkagns caroUnus) 



By Lynds Jones 



Synonyms. — Rusty Crackle; Thrush Blackbird. 



Description. — Adult male in breeding plumage: Uniform glossy black, with 

 bluish green reflections ; iris pale straw. At other seasons the plumage bears 

 rufous or "rusty" tips above, especially anteriorly, and rufescent or buffy tips 

 below, in varying proportions ; a light line also over the eye. The full nuptial 

 dress is seldom seen in Ohio, but may be found by narrowly observing the latest 

 migrants in spring. Adult female in breeding plumage: Blackish slate, lustrous 

 above, duller below. At other seasons the general cast of plumage is lighter, 

 and the overlay of rusty or buffy is similar to that of the male. Adult male, 



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