CAROLINA RAIL. jo^ 



and (linic-uU to rear, as they require considerable attention, especially at night, when they 

 should be kept warm. The Virginia Rails are migratory, disappearing f'nini New England 

 by the last of September. 



GENUS II. roRZAN.V. THE SUORT-BILLED KAILS. 



Gen. (^u. Bi/I, not as long as head, not grooved nor curved, is rather thick at base tut has no frontal plate. Toes, 

 not mari/iyicd nor lohaled. Keel, twice as hii/h as width of sternum. Mnrijinal indentalinns, narrow but deep. 



Wembers of this genu.s have the gUinils cif the proventi'iculus arranged in a zonular baud which is witliout rounded pro- 

 jections in front. The sterno-tracliealis is present, and there is a small broncliialis. Tynipaniform membrane, also pres- 

 ent. Sexes, similar. There are three .species within our limits. 



PORZANA CAROLINA. 



Carolina Rail. 



Porzana Carolina Cap.., Journ.; !856, 428. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cd. Form, slender. Size, medium. Tongue, not very long, rather fleshy, and narrowing gradually to tip wliioh 

 Is rounded. 



Color. Adult. Line back of eye and upper parts, brownish-yellow, broadly streaked with bmwn and dotted with 

 white. Wings, brown with the outer primaries edged with white. Line on top of head, space around bill and line down 

 throat, black. Breast and sides of head and neck, slaty-blue. Remainder of under parts, white, banded with grecnisli 

 and du-^ky on sides and flanks. Under tail coverts, reddish-buff. Youny. Similar, hut are overwashed with reJilish below 

 and lacks the black markings about head and throat. Iris, brown. Bill, yellow. Legs, greenish. Ncsllin(js. Are cov- 

 ered with Idack down and have a tuft of orange colored bristles at base of bill. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Readily known by the medium size, short, thick bill, and colors as described. Distributed, in summer, from Canada 

 southward. Winters in the South. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of .specimens from Eastern United States. Length, 8-75; stretch, 13-75; wing, i"25; tail, 1-95; 

 bill, -85; tarsus, V35. Longest specimen, 9"00; greatest extent of wing, USO; longest wing, 4-42: tail, '2 16; bill, -90; tar- 

 sus, 1'40. Shortest specimen, 8'50; smallest extent of wing, IS'OO; shortest wiug, 4-15; tail, l'T5; bill, "75; tarsus, 1-25. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 ]\ests. placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eggs, sis to ten in number, oval in 

 form, reddish-bufFin color, dotted and spotted, irregularly, but sparcely, with reddish-brown and lilac. Dimensions from 

 •85 X 1-20 to-95xl--25. 



HABITS. 



Although the Carolina Rails differ somewhat in structure from the Virginia, they re- 

 semble them in many habits; both rise whea first disturbed, fly in a straight line a short 

 distance, with dangling legs, and drop into the grass, after which it is diificult to make 

 them stiirt a second time, and both inhabit similar places, but the pre.scnt species is in- 

 clined to prefer open meadows which are free from bushes. The Virginias are also almost 

 exclusively fresh water birds, while the Carolinas are equally abundant on both salt and 

 fresh mashes, but prefer the latter as breeding grounds. All the Rails swim and dive well 

 but I think the Carolinas rather excel them all in this respect, for they will not only take 

 readily to the water, but will pass beneath it with great facility, and I once saw one run 

 nimbly along the bottom of a brook, the water of which was about a foot deep, by ding- 

 ing to aquatic plants, and crossing it obliquely, emerged on the other side, thus passing 

 over some fifteen feet while submerged. I have also seen those Rails run rapidly over the 

 surface of the water, where there were a few plants to afford them a slight support. These 

 Riiils migrate from New England with the first hard frosts, after wliich tliey gather in im- 

 mense numbers on the salt marshes of New Jersey, but gradually pass southward, ocouring 



