RALLVS. 137 



a phuform-lilcc structure of dried grasses, sedges, etc., supported in tufts of gra^-s 

 or sedges in marshes or jionds. Eggs 6-15, white, buffy white, dull buff, or palo 

 brownish buff, rather sparingly spotted and speckled with rusty brown and 

 purplish graj'. 



«'. Larger (wing more than 5.00). 



6'. Ground-color of upper parts grayish (varj-ing from ash-gray to olive- 

 gray)- 



c'. Breast, etc., pale cinnamon-buff, tinged with ashy across chest ; darker 

 stripes on back, etc., usually indistinct (sometimes almost obsolete) ; 

 flanks, etc., grayish brown, broadly barred with white, but without 

 darker bars ; length 13.50-15.G0, wing 5.40-6.30 (5.79), culmen 2.10- 

 2.60 (2.36), de])th of bill at narrowest part .22-.30, at base .47-.50 

 (.49), tarsus 1.85-2.27 (2.00), middle toe 1.70-2.00 (1.83). Eggs 1.72 

 X 1-20. Hah. Salt-water marshes of Atlantic coast, north, regularly, 

 to Long Island, casually to ]\rassachusetts. 

 (l'»0 211. R. longirostris crepitans (Gmel.). Clapper Rail. 



&. Breast, etc., deeper cinnamon ; darker stripes on back, etc., very dis- 

 tinct; flanks, etc., darker or deeper brown, more narrowly barred 

 with white, and with more or less distinct narrow dusky bars bor- 

 dering the white ones. 

 d}. Above ash-gray, broadly and sharply striped with blackish brown 

 or brownish black ; breast, etc., dull cinnamon, strongly shaded 

 with olive-gray laterall^^; sides of neck olive-graj-, shaded with 

 ash-gray, this passing into slate-gray on sides of head, especi- 

 ally behind eye ; ground-color of flanks, etc., darker brown ; 

 length about 12.00-14.00, wing 5.60-5.70 (5 65), culmen 2.10- 

 2.45 (2.27), least depth of bill .22-.28 (.25), tarsus 1.05-2.00 

 (1.97), middle toe 1.75-1.80 (1.78). Hah. Coast of Louisiana; 



western Florida? 211rt. R. longirostris saturatus IIensh. 



(16.) Louisiana Clapper Rail, 



(P. Above olive-gray or grayish olive, broadly, but usually not shar])l3-, 

 striped with blackish brown ; breast, etc., uniform deep cinna- 

 mon, not strongly shaded with gray laterall}', the sides of the 

 neck dull gra\-ish cinnamon, and sides of head without pure 

 gray; ground-color of flanks, etc., lighter brown ; length 17.00- 

 18.00, wing 6.20-6.70 (6.63), culmen 2.25-2.50 (2.40), least depth 

 of bill .30-.35 (.33). depth at base .50, tarsus 2.10-2.30 (2.18), 

 middle toe 1.90-2.15 (2.04). Egg.? 1.75 X 1-24. Hah. Salt-water 

 marshes of Pacific coast (Lower California to Oregon). 



210. R. obsoletus Ridow. California Clapper Rail. 

 v. Ground color of upper parts distinclh- brownish (varying from diH'i) raw- 

 umber brown or olive-brown to fulvous-brown), very distinctly, and 

 usuall)" shai-ply, striped with brownish black, 

 r'. Flanks, etc., with the lighter (pure white) bars very broad (averaging 

 18 



