]^28 RALLl'S LOiXGlROSTRlS. 



EALLUS LONGIROSTEIS. 



Clapper Kail. 



Ral/us hinyiroslris Bodd, Tab. PI. enl.; 1784. 



DESUIUPTION. 



Sp. Cm, Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, long, thin, slender, and tapering gradually toward tip wliicli i.saciitely 



pointed. 



Col.OK. Adult. Above, greenish-broivn, bccimiing ])urpli.sh on primaries, with tlie feathcr.s overwashed and edged 

 witli ashy. Sides of head, bkiisli-ash. Line from Ijill over eye and under surface, pale ashy-red, tinged witli bluish on the 

 sides of neclc. !^ides, flanks, under wing and tail coverts, brown, banded with white. Iris, feet, and bill, brown, the 

 latter, reddish-orange at base. Yuuny. Similar to the adult but darker above and p:iler below. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Pieadily known by the large size and general ashy-lilue tinting, especially below. Distributed, insuaiiiier, from Mass- 

 achusetts, southward; wintering from the Carolinas to Key West. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 14'00; stretch, -JO-SO; wing, 6'00; tail, 

 i-50; bill, 2 35; tarsus, 2-25. Longest specimen, 14-50; greatest extent of wing, 20-75; longest wing, f>-50; tail, 2 70; l)ill, 

 2-50; tarsus, 250. Sh.ortest specimen, 13-50; smallest extcntof wing, 20-00; shortest wing, 5-50; tail, 225; bill, 2-25; tarsus, 

 2-00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 JSesls, placeil on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. -fJ///«, from eight tn ten in number, oval 

 in form, ImflV -yellow in color, dotted and spotted irreg.:larly, but sparcely, with reddish-brown and lilac. Dimensions from 

 1-05x1-61) to 1 15x 1-75. 



HABITS. 



The consts of South Carolina and Georgia are low, and many sounds make into the 

 land, which receive the contents of numerous rivers. Between these sounds, are islands, 

 back of which are creeks of varying widths, in which the tide rises and falls; while between 

 these bodies of water and the mainland, are extensive marshes, many miles in width. 

 These level tracts are scarcely elevated above low w'ater mark, consequently are overflowed 

 by every flood tide, and during the extreme high water that occurs at the full of the moon, 

 even the grass tops of all, but some of the more elevated .spots, are submerged. As re- 

 marked, these marshes are widely spread, extending from the islands to the westward, as 

 far as eye can reacli, and stretching from the extreme northern confines of the State of 

 South Carolina., quite to Florida. Many aquatic birds find a home in this lonely reach of 

 country, but by far the most abundant, at all seasons, are the Chipper Rails, iiud their 

 harsh voices may be heard at all hours of the day and night, as they skulk through the 

 grass or run along the margins of the creeks in search of food. Like all the members of 

 this genus, these Rails are difficult to start, and the only way in which they c;ui be secured 

 in numbers, is to watch the occurrence of a spring tide which, overflowing nearly every- 

 thing, forces the birds to take refuge in the few clumps of grass left uncovered, or they 

 will sit upon the floating debris and quietly await the falling of the water. 



The number of these Rails which occur in this section, is simply iucalcultible, but it i.s 

 safe to s;iy tliat tliey may be counted by millions. If a gun be discharged at night-fall, 

 when the birds are most active, the Rails in the immediate vicinity, will utter httrsh screams 

 which will be answered by others, and before the echo of the shot has died away, the 

 snarsh for miles around, will be resounding with their discordant cries. These Rails have 

 few enemies; it is true, that miuks abound in these marshes, and may, occasionally, catch 

 one, and I have frequently seen the Marsh Hawks attempt to capture these lurds, hut nev- 



