NORTH AMERICAN MARSH BIRDS 273 



the water's edgo. I visited this island during several successive years and found 

 that by following up these runways from the water's edge, they would invariably 

 iead up to a feeding ground or a nest. The nests were generally on the highest 

 piece of ground in that immediate vicinity that happen to be covered with sali- 

 <;ornia. The bird would evidently waddle under a clump of salicornia and form 

 a nest on the bare ground. A very poor nest was generally the result, for appar- 

 ently the only lining was what happened to be on the gronud at the spot chosen 

 for the nest, A line of power poles ran across this island, and in digging the holes 

 for the poles some little piles of dirt were left. On these hillocks the salicornia 

 seemed to grow very rank and two of these clumps were selected for nesting sites. 

 In summing up the nest sites, it seemed that every available bit of high ground 

 near the water was occupied by its nest. These nests would be not over 100 

 feet from a body of water, and generally only a few feet. The birds were very 

 quiet and the on!}' time I saw them was when they would flush from immedi- 

 ately under my feet, and then they immediately took to the water and dove out 

 of sight. 



A, M. Ingersoll writes to me that the — 



nests are generally well hidden on a dry portion of a salt marsh, but are sometimes 

 placed over water of a foot or more in depth. In one instance a nest was placed 

 against the back of a dead hog on a dry sandy beach several hundred feet from 

 any marsh vegetation, certainly an unusual place for any rail. 



Harold M. Holland contributes the following notes: 



Since 1918 I have not been in the marshes around Los Angeles, but understand 

 the rails have decreased and become rather scarce. On the other hand, having 

 collected near San Diego last year (1922), it was my impression that the light- 

 footed rails, in favorable places thereabout, were not especially uncommon. It is 

 recalled there were a few marshy tracts in which cattle had l)een turned loose, 

 and it was quite noticeable that no rails were therein encountered, although just 

 across a narrow^ ditch, serving as a barrier to the cattle, they might be found. 

 Occasionally one met with distinct runways from one ditch or channel to another, 

 or a runway, often of surprising length and clearly defined, extending from a ditch 

 to a clump of particularly thick or high salicornia in which would be hidden the 

 nest. I think in some instances the same clump of salicornia is used season after 

 season, and the worn appearance of the runways would bear this out. Across 

 the marsh on the way from Los Angeles to Seal Beach, near the latter place, there 

 was an electric line, and the heavy growths of salicornia at the l)a.scs of the trolley 

 poles were favorite nest locations from year to year. Then there would be a little 

 pool, almost round, encircled by a somewhat prominent growth of salicornia, and 

 in this from one season to another a rail nest could be counted upon at almost the 

 same identical spot. Often the fresh runways could easily be distinguished and 

 would be raud spattered for a short distance near the ditch. The light-footed 

 rail likes the salicornia in which to hide its nest and doubtless generally uses it, 

 Ijut at times does nest in other marsh vegetation. 



George Willett (1906) found a nest of this species in a bunch of 

 reeds growing in about three inches of fresh water, on the edge of 

 Nigger Slough, near Los Angeles, on May 29, lOOG. 



The nest and eggs, which are now in my collection, are typical of the species. 

 The nest is a very loose affair, the foundation being coinpovsed of decayed tales 

 and reeds and the upper part, containing the cavity, of broken bits of tule stalks. 

 It measures 11 by 7 inches on the outside, with the cavity 5 by J^ inches. 



