NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 141 



plied to the Coot. This Rail is by far the most abundant aquatic bird at 

 all seasons in the extensive marshes from South Carolina to Florida, and 

 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 streams in search of 

 food. 



572. Virginian Rail — rallus virginianus. Cream or buff, sparsely 

 spotted with reddish-brown and obscure lilac; the eggs are like those of 

 the King or Clapper Rail, but of course, like the bird, much smaller; 

 size from 1.20 to 1.28 long by .90 to .93 broad. The number in a set 

 varies from six to twelve. The Virginia Rail is an exact miniature of R. 

 elcgans, the coloration being exactly the same; the legs, iris and bill 

 brown — the latter reddish — orange at the base of the lower mandible. 

 In summer it is distributed from Canada to Florida; frequenting marshes 

 and boggy swamps. The nest is built in a tuft of reeds or grasses close 

 to the water ; it is compact and slightly hollowed. The Virginia Rail 

 and the Sora have habits that are very similar; when on the wing they will 

 fly in a straight line for a short distance with dangling legs, and suddenly 

 drop into the grass. One not accustomed to their flight would at once 

 conclude the birds were wounded. The Virginia rail is almost exclusively 

 a fresh water bird. 



Hab. North America, from the British Provinces south to Guatemala and Cuba. 



574. Sora Rail — porzana Carolina. The little slate-colored Carolina 

 Rail breeds from the Middle States northward. In the reedy swamps of 

 the Atlantic States great numbers of this Rail are killed every year. It is 

 a highly esteemed game bird, and is usually abundant during the migra- 

 tions. In Ohio the Carolina Crake, Common Rail, Sora or Ortolan, as 

 it is variously called, is a common summer resident, breeding in the ex- 

 tensive swamps and wet meadows throughout the State. On different 

 occasions I have killed in the latter part of May female birds containing 

 perfect eggs which would have been laid within a few hours. The Caro- 

 lina Railsareequally abundant on both salt and fresh water marshes, but the 

 latter places are preferable to them as breeding places. The nest is a rude 

 affair made of grass and weeds, placed on the ground in a tussock of 

 grass in a boggy tract of land, where there is a growth of briers, etc. 



Hab. Temperate North America, but most common in the Eastern Province, breeding chiefly north- 

 ward. South to the West Indies and Northern South America. 



575. Little Yellow Rail — porzana noveboracensis. Rich buffy-brown, 

 marked at the larger end with a cluster of reddish-brown dots and spots; 

 about six in number; size from .80 to .85 broad by 1.05 to i. 15 long; 

 usual shape. The small Yellow Crake appears to be quite rare every- 



