208 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



which contained sixteen eggs, the largest number 

 that I ever found in a Rail's domicile, eight to 

 ten being usual, and thirteen not infrec|uent. The 



Courtesy of Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 

 SORA 

 Their peculiar flight maltes tliem easy targets for gunners 



nests are little platforms of dry grass or rush 

 leaves, quite well hollowed. Sometimes they are 

 in a cluster of reeds or rushes, a little above the 

 level of the water, or under a thick tussock of 

 meadow grass. Rut, after much searching. I 

 found that the more typical location, both for the 

 Sora and the \"irginia Rail, was just out of the 

 bog, in open meadow, where, on comparatively 

 finn ground, rather short meadow-grass grew 

 from just a little water. There the Rails con- 

 structed a little pile or island of grass, raised 



slightly above the water. The stems of the rather 

 sparse grass held it together, and the ends were 

 twisted and tied by the birds to form over it a 

 sort of rounded canopy. In walking over the 

 meadow I learned to find nests by noting this 

 arching of the grass, even at some distance. 

 Rails are nocturnal, and toward dusk one may 

 watch them at the edges of the bog trotting out to 

 feed. Their migrations are quite mysterious. 

 Some frosty morning the meadows suddenly are 

 found to be alive with them. Then the gunners 

 get their innings. In some localities, such as the 

 meadows along the Connecticut River, near its 

 mouth. Rail shooting becomes a regular industry. 

 At high tide boatmen pole flat skiffs through the 

 grass. The Rails flutter up with their character- 

 istic fli.ght, making easy marks. 



In Louisiana I found this species common in 

 winter on the marshes back from the Gulf coast, 

 on the reservations. Toward evening I could 

 \\atch them from the windows of our camp, as 

 well as during cloudy days. They came out from 

 the reeds and fed on the rice which we scattered, 

 sometimes venturing even under the house. 



Herkert K. Job. 



t^"^ 1 



Piioto by H. K. Jub 



NEST AND EGGS OF SORA 



YELLOW RAIL 



Coturnicops noveboracensis 



.\. O. U. Number 215 



Other Names. — Little Yellow Rail ; Yellow Crake. 



General Description. — Length. 7 inches. Prevailing 

 color, brownish-yellow, paler below and streaked above 

 with dark. Forehead entirely feathered to base of bill ; 

 bill short and stout. 



Ginclil)) 

 See Color Plate 26 



Color. — Adults; Crown (narrowly), neck, and 

 upper jiarts, broadly and regularly streaked with yellow- 

 ish brou'n and burnt umber, this fusing on crown and 

 shading on sides of neck and sides of breast into red- 

 dish-brown spots; the dark streaks of back and wings. 



