% 



REVISION OF THE CLAPPER RAILS — OBERHOLSER 317 



limnetis of Puerto Rico than the intervening Rallus longirostris cubanus. 

 In addition, Rallus longirostris leucophaeus of the Isle of Pines is much 

 more like Ballus longirostris corrius of the Bahama Islands and even 

 nearer Rallus longirostris waynei of South Carolina than it is to either 

 the intervening Rallus longirostris cubanus or the neighboring Rallus 

 longirostris caribaeus. Then, too, Rallus longirostris pallidus of 

 Yucatan is much closer to Rallus longirostris corrius of the Bahama 

 Islands than it is to any of the intervening West Indian races. The 

 bird inhabiting the Valley of Mexico, Rallus longirostris tenuirosfris, 

 much more resembles Rallus longirostris beldingi of Lower California 

 than it does the intervening Rallus longirostris nayaritensis. Finally, 

 and the comparisons could be still farther extended, Rallus longirostris 

 crepitans of the coast of the Northeastern United States very much 

 more closely in color approaches Rallus longirostris corrius of the 

 Bahama Islands and Rallus longirostris pallidus of Yucatan than it 

 does any of the geographically mtervening races. 



Between the adult male and the adult female of this species there is 

 practically no difference in color. The latter, however, is decidedly 

 smaller in average size. The nestling is when hatched approximately 

 75-80 mm in length, above jet black with a greenish gloss, below 

 brownish black with a slight greenish gloss anteriorly, but with the 

 abdomen dark blackish clove brown. In some individuals and some 

 races there are slight differences in the color of the lower parts. This 

 plumage is worn until the bird has grown to about twice its original 

 size and the bUl to sometimes two and one-half times as long as it was 

 at the beginning. The only color change that takes place during this 

 period is the lightening of the lower surface to clove browTi, this then 

 being blacldsh only anteriorly. The ju venal plumage is similar to 

 that of the adult, but in general differs as follows: The upper surface 

 of the body is plainer and duller with less conspicuous strealdng, 

 more like the pattern of the pHeum; the sides of the head and neck, 

 particularly the former, are paler, more uniform; the median lower 

 parts are paler, the lower throat, jugulum, and breast with but a trace 

 of ochraceous buff, the throat and jugulum washed also with dull 

 grayish or brownish, often as edgings of the feathers ; median portion 

 of breast and abdomen mostly white; sides of the jugulum, breast, 

 and body darker — dull or dark brownish gray, either almost entirely 

 or in the form of edgings of the feathers, producing often a mottled 

 appearance; flanks much paler than m the adult, mouse gray or drab 

 gray with much narrower, less regular, and more inconspicuous 

 whitish bars; and texture of feathers looser than in the adult. The 

 first autumn plumage, which becomes the mature plumage at the end 

 of the first year, is practically identical with that of the adult, but is 

 usually paler below. The last trace of immaturity in plumage is 

 the dusky edgings or mottlings on the sides of the breast, body, and 

 abdomen. 



