WADING BIRDS 



RAILS, GALLINULES and COOTS. Family RALLID^E 



Members of this family arc almost exclusively frequenters of marshes, 

 where they lead a shy, retiring life and are more often heard than seen. 



208. Kin<; Rail. Rallus dentins. 



Range.— Fresh water marshes of eastern United States from New England 

 and the Dakotas, southward. Very abundant on the South Atlantic coast, in 

 the inland marshes. 



This is one of the largest of the Rails, (17 

 inches in length) and may be known by the 

 richness of its plumage, the breast and wing 

 coverts being a rich cinnamon color. It is 

 almost exclusively a fresh water species and is 

 very rarely found around a salt water marsh. 

 Its nest is built on the ground, in a tuft of grass 

 and weeds woven about the upright stalks. 

 They lay from five to twelve eggs having a 

 cream colored ground, sparingly speckled with 

 brown and lilac. Size 1.60 x 1,20. Data.— i 

 County, Missouri. June ii, 1893. 10 eggs. Nest 

 composed of reed stalks: a slightly concave mass 8 inches across, and only 

 two inches above the water, in a clump of reeds. Collector. Ed. S. Currier. 



( !ream color. 



209- Belding's Rail. Rallus beldingi. 



Range. — Lower California ami the islands in the Cull'. 



This is a locally confined species, very similar to the pr< 1 ut darker 



and with the Hank bars narrower, its nesting or egg's will not ' d'il'l'ef fi 

 of the King Rail. 



210. California Clappeh Rail. Rallus obsoletus. 



Range. 



Salt marshes of the Pacific con 1 of the United states. 



This species is like a dull colored King Rail, 

 witli reference to the markings of the ba< 

 a bright colored Clapper Kail, as it has a 

 mon colored breast, it is an abundant species 

 in nearly all the salt long the 



nests on the : ; . ,.! 



,1 is comparal Lvelj dry. build- 



; liem of gra IS and rushes. They 



I urn lour ion. if a light huh color, 



boldly spotted with brown, and with fainter 

 markings of lilac. Size 1.75 X 1.25. Data. 

 PalO Alto. Cal., .May I. 1899. Nest of marsh 

 under ;i mil ill bUSh on hank of slOUgh. 

 ( ollector. Erne 1 Adams. 



1 I. u tr. 





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